Using Dough Improvers, Emulsifiers, and Additives

When many producers run into unstable dough, wrappers that crack easily, or cracking after freezing, the first thing they think of is "add some improver." Improvers do help, but they are not a cure-all, and as soon as you use food additives, there are regulations you must follow.

Will Adding an Improver Make Dough Run Better on the Machine?

What the noodle and bun trade commonly calls an "improver" is usually a compound product containing emulsifiers, enzymes, oxidizing agents, or other ingredients, intended to make dough more stable. In general, the possible effects include:

• Emulsifiers: Distribute oil and water more evenly and make the dough softer and smoother, which helps slow staling. Common in breads and steamed buns.
• Gluten strengtheners: Make the gluten stronger and the dough more tolerant of mechanical handling, with better gas retention during fermentation.
• Water-retention agents: Make the wrapper less prone to drying and cracking; often used in frozen dough products.

But if the problem lies in the amount of water, the dough temperature, the resting time, or a watery filling, an improver can only mask it slightly; the root cause remains. We recommend getting the basics right first: once your water absorption rate, flour type, and dough temperature and resting are all stable, then consider fine-tuning with additives. Follow the supplier's product instructions for the recommended dosage of an improver; don't add more by feel.

What Regulations Apply to Additives?

Food additives in Taiwan are regulated mainly under the following (based on the provisions in force in the Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China as of October 15, 2026):

• Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) Article 18: The names, specifications, scope of use, and maximum limits of food additives are set by the central competent authority.
• Standards for Specification, Scope, Application and Limitation of Food Additives (食品添加物使用範圍及限量暨規格標準) (last amended May 7, 2025, with some provisions taking effect July 1, 2027): Article 2 sets out, in Annex 1, the names, scope of use, and limits for each category of additive, and expressly states that an additive may not be used in food items not listed; Article 3 requires additive specifications to comply with Annex 2.
• Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation Article 15, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 10: Food may not contain additives that have not been approved by the central competent authority.

In other words, whether a given additive may be used in your product, and how much, has to be checked against the scope of use and limits in Annex 1. When buying an improver, confirm with the supplier what it contains and whether it is a legally registered food additive, and keep your purchase records.

How to Label

Under Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation Article 22, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 4, the container or outer packaging of a food must list the names of the food additives; where two or more additives are blended and named by a functional name, each additive's name must be listed separately. So if you use a compound improver, you cannot simply write "improver"; you must list the name of each additive in it. Under Article 24 of the same Act, the supplier's product label must also list the additive names along with their scope of use and dosage standards, which you can use as the basis for your own labeling.

There are other detailed labeling requirements, so before a product goes to market, we recommend having it checked by a professional familiar with the regulations, or consulting the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

What Can Be Done on the Machine Side

Additives are a recipe-side tool, but the machine side can help too: choosing a suitable model and forming method, adjusting feed speed, and controlling the temperature of the working environment. Dong-Yih Machinery has built automatic encrusting and forming machines for many years. If you want to discuss how your recipe and the machine can work together, call us at 06-257-4644.

FAQ

Q: Will adding an improver make dough run better on the machine?
A: It may help, but if the basics such as water amount, temperature, and resting are not stable, an improver will not solve the root problem.

Q: Which regulations apply to using additives?
A: Check Annex 1 of the Standards for Specification, Scope, Application and Limitation of Food Additives to confirm the additive may be used in your product and within what limit; the legal basis is Article 18 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

Q: How should I label packaging if I use an improver?
A: Under Article 22, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 4 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, list the additive names; for a compound product, list each additive's name separately.

Q: Can I use additives that are not registered?
A: No. Article 15, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 10 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation prohibits adding unapproved additives.