[Sweetie]

Hi

does anyone know what sort of natural preservatives can be used for pastries.
Your ideas will be appreciated

[chefpeon]

That almost sounds like an oxymoron.

I mean, there are certain ingredients that are used in baked goods that extend shelf life.....like pastries with high fat and sugar content will last a lot longer than a loaf of french bread, which has no sugar or fat content. Generally, the more moisture a baked good can retain, the longer it will stay fresh.

In my 16 years of pastry work, I have used dough conditioners at times and emulsified shortenings, but I would not call these natural at all.

I honestly don't know if there is a "magic ingredient" you could add to a baked good and have it be completely all natural.

If anyone knows otherwise, fill me in.

Meanwhile here's an interesting site on common food preservatives and their functions:
http://www.anarac.com/additives_and_preservatives.htm

[foodpump]

Yup. Been around for thousands of years. Honey, and raisins.

[momoreg]

Specifically, which pastries?

[Sweetie]

Thanks for your ideas.

I mean beef pastries and sausage rolls for commercial purposes