Temperature- and Moisture-Based Modeling for Prediction of Starch Gelatinization and Crumb Softness during Bread-Baking Process

Prolonged Proofing Modulates the Acrylamide Content, Nutritional and Functional Characteristics of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Plomo) and Soft Wheat Composite Bread

Acrylamide formation in bread products poses health concerns, necessitating strategies to reduce its presence while maintaining nutritional value. This study investigated how different concentrations of pumpkin flour (Cucurbita maxima Plomo) and prolonged proofing times affect acrylamide content and bread characteristics. Composite bread samples were prepared with varying pumpkin flour shares (0-20%) to soft wheat flour using two proofing times (60 and 120 min). The study analyzed quality features, crust and crumb color, antioxidant activity, total polyphenolic content, reducing sugars, and acrylamide content of the resulting breads. Extended proofing (120 min) reduced acrylamide levels in the crust from 220 to 150 units in 20% pumpkin flour bread compared to 60 min proofing. Control bread showed the highest specific volume (2.40 ± 0.01 cm3/g) after 2 h of proofing, while 20% pumpkin flour addition decreased it to 1.69 ± 0.02 cm3/g. Initial hardness increased from 6.8 ± 1.5 N in the control to 14.3 ± 1.5 N in 20% pumpkin flour bread after 1-h of proofing. Water activity decreased from 0.966 ± 0.002 in the control to 0.945 ± 0.004 in 20% pumpkin flour samples with 2 h proofing. Optimal results were achieved with 5-10% pumpkin flour substitution combined with two-hour proofing, balancing improved nutritional properties and reduced acrylamide formation while maintaining acceptable bread quality parameters.

Effect of Adding Different Commercial Propylene Glycol Alginates on the Properties of Mealworm-Flour-Formulated Bread and Steamed Bread

Mealworm-flour-formulated flour-based products have gained increasing attention; however, their textural properties need to be improved. Propylene glycol alginate (PGA) is a commercial food additive with excellent emulsifying and stabilizing capabilities. We evaluated the effects of adding three commercially available PGAs (0.3% w/w, as food additive) on the properties of 10% concentration of mealworm-flour-formulated bread and steamed bread. The results showed that, compared with the control (2.17 mL/g), three PGA brands (Q, M, and Y) significantly increased the specific volume of the bread to 3.34, 3.40, and 3.36 mL/g, respectively. Only PGA from brand Q significantly improved the specific volumes of bread and steamed bread. The color of the bread was affected by the Maillard reaction. The addition of PGAs also augmented the moisture content of the fresh bread crumbs and steamed bread crumbs. All three PGAs improved the textural properties of bread and steamed bread. During storage, PGA addition delayed the staling of bread and steamed bread. In summary, our study showed that the addition of 0.3% PGA from three different producers improved bread properties, with PGA from brand Q having the most substantial effect. PGA had a more substantial effect on bread than steamed bread. Our results provide a theoretical basis to guide the development of insect-formulated flour-based products.

Lutein fortification of wheat bread with marigold powder: impact on rheology, water dynamics, and structure

BACKGROUND

Demands for foods conducive to eye health have been on the increase in the global healthcare sector. Marigold powder as a major source of lutein was utilized to produce lutein-fortified breads for ocular health. The physicochemical characteristics of the doughs and breads were investigated in terms of rheology, water mobility, and protein secondary structures.

RESULTS

The incorporation of marigold powder decreased the water absorption of doughs without significantly altering thermomechanical properties. With a range of fortification levels (1-3%), marigold powder led to decreased storage and loss modulus of doughs by weakening their gluten network, which was supported by their T₂ relaxation times. The resistance of the doughs weakened with increasing levels of marigold powder, while their extensibilities significantly incremented. Fourier transform infrared spectral deconvolution revealed the changes in wheat protein structures upon marigold powder incorporation, in which the proportion of β-turn increased at the expense of β-sheet ratio. The breads with marigold powder displayed increased specific volume from 4.034 to 4.368 mL g^-1 , accompanied by softer textures. The baking process led to heat-induced losses in lutein concentration of less than 10% within the crumb and approximately 30% in the crust.

CONCLUSION

The use of marigold powder induced changes in protein secondary structure and extensional features of doughs, contributing to increased loaf volume and softer texture. Overall, this study provides fundamental information on the rheological and structural effects of marigold powder in a wheat bread system, consequently encouraging the food industry to utilize marigold power as a functional food ingredient. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A dynamic micro-scale dough foaming and baking analysis - Comparison of dough inflation based on different leavening agents

Leavening agents play a pivotal role in the production of baked goods. Through gas production the inner structure of the product gets its typical foam structure and textural appearance. Baking trials are thereby a common way to determine the achievable loaf volume, crumb structure and other product specific properties. The required material input for these classic baking trials is high, as well as specific baking skills are required to obtain comparable and reliable results. To minimize the previously mentioned challenges, an in-line kneading, proofing, and baking process in a conventional rheometer was used and a microscale method was developed to determine both flour-specific baking performance and leavening-dependent volume increase without sample transfer. The results show a direct comparability of standard baking tests and the microscale method with yeast. In a second step the influence of the commercial used acidifying agent in baking powder D-(+)-Glucono-1,5-lactone (GDL) was compared to l-galactono-1,4-lactone (GGL), an alternative that has the potential to be biotechnologically produced from pectin-rich plant biomass residues. The results showed that GGL produced carbon dioxide slower then GDL and could therefore be interesting for frozen or slow rising products especially for protein rich flours.

Ropiness in Bread-A Re-Emerging Spoilage Phenomenon

As bread is a very important staple food, its spoilage threatens global food security. Ropy bread spoilage manifests in sticky and stringy degradation of the crumb, slime formation, discoloration, and an odor reminiscent of rotting fruit. Increasing consumer demand for preservative-free products and global warming may increase the occurrence of ropy spoilage. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, the B. cereus group, B. pumilus, B. sonorensis, Cytobacillus firmus, Niallia circulans, Paenibacillus polymyxa, and Priestia megaterium were reported to cause ropiness in bread. Process hygiene does not prevent ropy spoilage, as contamination of flour with these Bacillus species is unavoidable due to their occurrence as a part of the endophytic commensal microbiota of wheat and the formation of heat-stable endospores that are not inactivated during processing, baking, or storage. To date, the underlying mechanisms behind ropy bread spoilage remain unclear, high-throughput screening tools to identify rope-forming bacteria are missing, and only a limited number of strategies to reduce rope spoilage were described. This review provides a current overview on (i) routes of entry of Bacillus endospores into bread, (ii) bacterial species implicated in rope spoilage, (iii) factors influencing rope development, and (iv) methods used to assess bacterial rope-forming potential. Finally, we pinpoint key gaps in knowledge and related challenges, as well as future research questions.

Comparison of the Functionality of Exopolysaccharides Produced by Sourdough Lactic Acid Bacteria in Bread and Steamed Bread

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by lactic acid bacteria improve the quality of bread; however, their functionality in steamed bread is unknown. This study aimed to compare the impact of EPS produced during sourdough fermentation on the quality of bread and steamed bread. Sourdoughs were fermented with EPS-producing Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Weissella cibaria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides; Latilactobacillus sakei LS8 and chemically acidified sourdough were prepared as controls. EPS production generally enhanced the specific volume, improved the texture, and reduced the staling rate of bread. The effect of EPS on steamed bread quality was more pronounced when compared to its effect on bread quality. Remarkably, the beneficial effects of F. sanfranciscensis bread quality were largely independent of EPS formation and may relate to gluten modifications rather than EPS production. In conclusion, the direct comparison of sourdough and EPS functionality in steaming and baking provides novel insights for the optimization of commercial (steamed) bread production.