Flour treatment agents are used to help the manageability of dough during baking. These improve flour performance in bread making.
Newly milled flour without further treatment does not make good bread. Flour treatment agents help mature the flour and give a smooth texture. This gives the flour a more uniform appearance and eases the handling of the dough under different conditions like fermentation.
These are used to ensure good loaf volume and improve the crumb structure, softness and colour. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, (E300) is the most commonly used flour treatment agent.