Search Results (93)

The growing demand for functional and sustainable foods has driven food innovation, enhancing its nutritional value. This study aimed to develop a nutritious bread using local rye from the Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal and incorporating whey, a by-product of the dairy industry, as a replacement for water. Three bread formulations were tested: a traditional recipe with 37.5% rye flour and water (Control—CTR); the same recipe using whey instead of water (Rye Whey—RW); and a formulation with 100% local rye and whey replacing water (Full Rye Whey—FRW). Nutritional composition was assessed, including moisture, ash, protein, dietary fiber, sodium, potassium, lipids, and carbohydrates. Sensory analysis included both quantitative descriptive analysis and consumer acceptance testing. Microbiological quality was also evaluated. Whey-containing samples showed lower moisture and increased levels of ash, lipids, carbohydrates, and potassium. RW had the highest protein content (6.54 ± 0.28 g/100 g, p < 0.05), while FRW exhibited the highest dietary fiber (6.96 ± 0.15 g/100 g, p < 0.05). RW demonstrated a balanced nutritional and sensory profile, with high consumer acceptance. Overall, the combination of local rye and whey presents a promising strategy for producing nutritious bread while valorizing local agricultural resources and dairy by-products. These findings support sustainable food production practices and contribute to circular economy approaches. Full article

Designing sustainable farming systems in mountainous regions is particularly challenging because of complex economic, social, and environmental factors. Production models prioritizing sustainability and environmental protection require integrated assessment methodologies that can address multiple criteria and incorporate diverse stakeholders’ perspectives while ensuring accuracy and applicability. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and multi-actor multi-criteria analysis (MAMCA) are two complementary approaches that support “eco-design” strategies aimed at identifying the most sustainable options, including on-farm transformation processes. This study presents an integrated application of LCA and MAMCA to four supply chains: rye bread, barley beer, cow cheese, and goat cheese. The results show that cereal-based systems have lower environmental impacts than livestock systems do, although beer’s required packaging significantly increases its footprint. The rye bread chain emerged as the most sustainable and widely preferred option, except under high-climatic risk scenarios. In contrast, livestock-based systems were generally less favorable because of greater impacts and risks but gained preference when production security became a priority. Both approaches underline the need for a deep understanding of production performance. Future assessments in mountain contexts should integrate logistical aspects and cooperative models to enhance the resilience and sustainability of short food supply chains. Full article

In the present study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum G8, exhibiting higher antifungal activity, and G12, displaying weaker antifungal activity, were isolated from naturally fermented wheat sourdough. Their impacts on bread quality and shelf life were subsequently investigated. The results demonstrated that both strains exhibited robust growth in rye bran sourdough. Compared to the blank control rye bran–wheat flour dough (RB dough), sourdough incorporation enhanced percentages of β-sheet and α-helix secondary structures, facilitating the formation of a more ordered gluten network structure. This contributed to reduced bread baking loss and decreased bread hardness, gumminess, and chewiness, with Lpb. plantarum G8 exhibiting the most pronounced effects. Notably, G8 bread displayed superior antifungal efficacy, extending shelf life by 8 d (mold appearance at room temperature: 12 d for G8 vs. 4 d for RB). Furthermore, G8 bread exhibited significantly increased diversity and content of volatile compounds, and received higher preference scores from the sensory panel. This study further advances the development of mold-resistant bakery products. Full article

This study investigates the effect of extended rye scald fermentation times (12–48 h) on its biochemical properties and rye bread’s nutritional and sensory qualities. Traditional rye bread production in Latvia involves prolonged fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a process that influences the bread’s acidity, sugar content, and concentrations of organic acids, fructans, and phytates. Scald fermentation was analyzed at intervals of 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h to monitor microbial activity, particularly LAB population dynamics. Organic acids and sugar profiles were analyzed using HPLC, while phytic acid and fructan concentrations were determined using the Phytic Acid Assay Kit (K-PHYT) and Fructan Assay Kit (K-FRUC). Sensory evaluation assessed attributes including aroma, sour and sweet taste, stickiness, and floury aftertaste. A rapid pH decrease and increased total titratable acidity (TTA) after 12 h confirmed scald’s suitability as a substrate for Lactobacillus delbrueckii metabolism. Lactic acid content increased 13.8-fold after 48 h. Combined scald and dough sourdough fermentation reduced phytic acid by 20% and fructans by 49%, improving mineral bioavailability. Extending fermentation beyond 24 h showed no significant differences in physicochemical parameters, although it improved sensory quality, reduced stickiness, balanced sweet–sour flavors, enhanced aroma, and minimized floury aftertaste. Full article

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of gut–brain interaction, with a multifactorial pathophysiology involving gut–brain axis dysregulation, visceral hypersensitivity, microbiota imbalance, and immune dysfunction. Traditional IBS management emphasizes dietary modifications and pharmacologic therapies. However, increasing attention has been directed toward functional foods, nutraceuticals, and herbal remedies due to their potential to target IBS pathophysiological mechanisms with favorable safety profiles. This clinical review explores the role of these adjunctive therapies, evaluating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies. Functional foods such as kiwifruit, prunes, and rye bread demonstrate benefits in bowel habit regulation through fiber content and microbiota modulation. Nutraceuticals like peppermint oil, palmitoylethanolamide, and herbal mixtures exhibit anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and analgesic effects. Prebiotics provide substrate-driven microbiota changes, although dosage is key, as given their fermentative properties, when used at high dosages, they can exacerbate symptoms in some individuals. Probiotics and postbiotics offer microbiota-based interventions with promising symptom relief in IBS subtypes, although factors for personalized treatment still need to be further elucidated. These strategies highlight a paradigm shift in IBS management, integrating diet-based therapies with evolving nutraceutical options to improve patient outcomes. Despite promising findings, challenges in standardizing definitions, mechanisms, and safety profiles still remain. Rigorous, large-scale trials to validate the therapeutic potential of these interventions are needed, to enhance the benefits of these compounds with an individualized treatment approach. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of partial rye flour (RF) replacement with white bean malt (WBM) and red bean malt (RBM) on the baking and the nutritional quality of bread. The addition of white and red bean malts to the rye flour reduced the falling number and the maximum viscosity of the paste. Significant differences in the color of the crust and crumb of baked bread were shown. The addition of malt from bean seeds did not cause significant changes in the consumer assessment of bread. In some cases, a 30% increase in the polyphenols content was observed and an improvement in the antioxidant properties of bread with WBM and RBM was noted. Also, the overall protein and essential amino acids content in the bread was significantly increased. Due to WBM and RBM addition, the quantity of volatile compounds was higher than it was in the control sample, and in specific instances, it had doubled compared to the control sample. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the use of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) powder (OMP) for producing rye bread. The raw materials were low-extract rye flour and OMP, which were analyzed in terms of their nutritional and health-promoting qualities. Mixtures of rye flour with OMP were prepared, replacing 5, 7.5, and 10% rye flour with OMP. The baking quality of the tested flour samples was assessed based on their water absorption, falling number, and amylograph and swelling curve tests. The laboratory baking test was carried out using the sourdough method, prepared based on LV2 starter cultures, and the bread samples were assessed in terms of their technological, sensory, and nutritional characteristics, as well as the antioxidant potential. The OMP was characterized by a high content of basic nutrition components and a higher antioxidant potential. The addition of OMP increased the nutritional value of the rye flour and its water absorption, significantly prolonged the starch gelatinization time, and increased the xylolytic activity of the flour. The OMP enhanced the bread’s dietary fiber, minerals, protein, and phenolic compounds, and boosted its antioxidant potential. Also, the starch present in the bread with OMP was characterized by a higher pro-health value due to a higher share of slowly digestible starch. Incorporating 7.5% OMP into the rye bread formula positively affected the bread’s sensory profile in contrast to the bread with a 10% addition of OMP. Full article

Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial for grain setting in cereals. Wheat is an allohexaploid autogamous species. Due to its evolutionary history, the genetic diversity of current bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars is limited. Introducing favorable alleles from related wild and cultivated wheat species is a promising breeding strategy for resolving this issue. However, wide hybridization between bread wheat and its relatives is hampered by the presence of suppressor genes and difficulties in crossing. Optimized methods for observing pollen tubes are essential for understanding the mechanism of crossability between wheat and its relatives. Here, we improved the crossing procedure between bread wheat and rye (Secale cereale) and established an optimized protocol for visualizing pollen tube behavior. Crossing via detached spike culture significantly enhanced crossing efficiency and phenotypic stability. A combination of canonical aniline blue staining and optimized clearing and sectioning allowed us to visualize pollen tube behavior. The proportion of rye pollen tubes reaching the micropyle was lower than that for pollen tubes germinated on the stigmatic hair, explaining why the hybrid seed-setting rate was approximately 75% instead of 100%. This method sheds light on wide hybridization through deeper visualization of the insides of pistils. Full article

Bread is a crucial component of a balanced diet. Increasing the choice of functional bakery products based on whole grain flours, with the addition of seeds and grains, can improve health, including reducing postprandial glycemia and the risk of metabolic syndrome. The current study attempted to characterize the relationship between the composition and nutritional value of 23 different types of functional bread and postprandial glycemic response values. This study involved 209 non-obese healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50. The study protocol followed the standard glycemic index (GI) method outlined by the International Standard, ISO 26642:2010. Most of the examined bread had a low GI and was composed mainly of rye, oats, buckwheat flour with a sourdough starter, and oilseeds. Postprandial glycemia was negatively associated with the fat, protein, and fiber content of bread. However, the GI depended directly on the carbohydrate content and, inversely, on the fat content in wheat bread and bread containing oilseeds. Similarly, using whole-grain flour and sourdough in a functional bakery reduces the GI. Adding oilseeds and sourdough to bread also reduced blood glucose levels approximately one hour after a meal. A greater number of ingredients in a recipe may be associated with a higher GI. In designing a functional bread with a potentially beneficial effect on postprandial glycemia, the nutritional value, type of fermentation, and additives (type and number) are worth considering. The high variability in postprandial glycemia after bread consumption is related to several factors and requires GI determination according to standard methods to ensure that the information provided to the consumer is reliable. Full article

The aim of the research was to optimize the addition of sea buckthorn pomace to rye bread for sustainable production and consumption. Profit analysis was used to evaluate the optimal impact of added pomace on bread quality. The effects of the management of the by-product (pomace) during the maceration of sea buckthorn fruit pulp were determined on the basis of process efficiency balance. The research materials included five baking variants of bread containing type 720 rye flour, differing in the level of pomace added (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%). The bread was produced in laboratory conditions on rye sourdough using the three-phase method. The impact of pomace addition on the quality of baked goods was determined by assessing the content of nutritional and energy components, nutritional and building materials, and bioactive compounds. The results show that greater qualitative benefits, including health benefits, were obtained when rye bread was enriched with 15 and 20% pomace. These results have been confirmed by PROFIT analysis. The analysis of the efficiency balance of the sea buckthorn fruit pulp maceration process showed that it is more beneficial to subject these substrates to the processes of drying at 50 °C, separation (removal of seeds), and grinding than it is to use enzymatic maceration. Full article

The issue of managing waste bread is a global concern, with significant environmental and the economic implications. The utilisation of waste bread for bioethanol production, employing energy-saving technology, could prevent these consequences and reduce the consumption of traditionally used fossil fuels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the type of waste bread (wheat and wheat–rye sourdough) and the mash preparation method on the results of alcoholic fermentation and the concentration of selected congeners in the distillates. The highest fermentation efficiency (96% of theoretical) was achieved for both types of bread through the utilisation of the pressureless starch liberation method combined with simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The separate saccharification of starch resulted in lower process efficiencies (from 85.75 to 88.60% of theoretical). The application of the native starch hydrolysis method (without starch activation) for the fermentation of wheat bread-based mashes exhibited a higher efficiency (87.85% of the theoretical) than that observed for the wheat–rye bread-based mash sample (83.74% of theoretical). All of the obtained spirit distillates exhibited a low concentration of methanol (≤300 mg/L alcohol 100% v/v) and comply with the requirements of the EU regulation for ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (rectified spirit). Full article

Currently, there is an increase in consumer interest in food produced from raw materials from organic farming, which has an impact on the greater attention paid to the possibility of increasing the cultivation of old cereal species. One of the cereals that is suitable for these trends is mountain rye, which is a premise for undertaking research on the usefulness of this cereal grain in food production. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare the baking value of flour with different milling yields obtained from milling mountain rye grain. The research material consisted of rye grain (Secale montanum Guss.), which was milled, and 6 different rye flours were obtained. The flour was tested for selected quality parameters such as moisture, crude protein content, total ash content, and acidity. Doughs were prepared and fermented using a single-phase method carried out in two different variants, with or without the addition of lactic acid. The obtained rye breads were quality assessed and subjected to organoleptic and consumer evaluations. The use of the fermentation method with dough acidification with lactic acid allowed us to obtain breads with a better specific volume and acidity compared to those obtained from dough without acidification. Breads baked from dough prepared using the method of non-acidification with lactic acid had better porosity of the crumb. In the quality classification, breads made from low-extract flour turned out to be the best, and breads baked from dough made using the non-lactic acid acidification method were more generally accepted by panelists. As confirmed by research, mountain rye grain is a raw material for the production of flour with good baking value, which depends on the preparation of the grain and milling method. The quality of rye bread made from mountain rye flour depends on the flour yield, the baking value of the flour, and the method used for dough fermentation for bread baking Full article

Sourdough bread production relies on metabolically active starters refreshed daily with flour and water. The stability of sourdough microbial strains is crucial for consistent bread quality. However, many bakeries lack information on the persistence of starter cultures in ongoing sourdough production. Consequently, there is growing interest in identifying microbial strains from regularly used sourdoughs that possess good functional properties and resist changes in the complex growth environment. This study aimed to evaluate the composition and stability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in industrial wheat (WS) and rye (RS) sourdoughs propagated over a long period. LAB isolates (n = 66) from both sourdoughs, sampled over four seasons, were identified using phenotypic methods and genotyped via ITS-PCR and ITS-PCR/TaqI restriction analysis. Eight LAB species were detected, with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum being the most dominant and stable. Nineteen distinct LAB genotypes were observed, highlighting significant diversity. The presence of identical LAB genotypes in both sourdoughs suggests microbial transfer through the environment and bakery workers. LAB in RS were found to be more stable than those in WS. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring microbial stability and diversity in industrial sourdough production to maintain consistent bread quality. Full article

Rye grain is a good source of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and mineral compounds. To prevent the staling process of bread, semi-finished bakery products are subjected to cooling or freezing, and this process is called the postponed baking method. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of rye arabinoxylans differing in molar mass on the properties of rye bread baked using the postponed baking method. The breads were baked from rye flour types 720 and 1150, without and with a 1% share of unmodified or cross-linked rye arabinoxylans (AXs). The molar mass of the unmodified AXs was 432,160 g/mol, while that of the AXs after cross-linking was 1,158,980 g/mol. The results of this study show that the 1% share of AXs significantly increased the water addition to both types of rye flour and dough yield, and this increase was proportional to the molar mass of the AXs used. It is shown that a 1% share of both AX preparations positively increased the volume and crumb moisture of bread baked by the postponed baking method. Cross-linked AXs proved to be particularly effective in increasing the volume and bread crumb moisture. Both AX preparations had a positive effect on reducing the bread crumb hardness of rye breads baked by the postponed baking method. Full article

Gastrointestinal disorders dysregulate the biochemical environment of the gastrointestinal tract by altering pH conditions during the gastric phase of digestion or by reducing the secretion of pancreatin during the intestinal part of the process. Ingested functional food could therefore lose some of its health-promoting potential apart from its nutritional value. In this work, we aimed to manufacture bread marked by decreased gluten content, using a commercial or laboratory sourdough, that could be appropriate for patients afflicted with wheat allergy, hypertension and pancreatic malfunctions. A reference sample (no sourdough) was prepared alongside wheat and wheat–rye bread samples—produced with either commercial or laboratory sourdough (L. plantarum BS, L. brevis 1269, L. sanfranciscensis 20663). We measured the QQQPP allergen content (ELISA) in bread extracts digested in vitro and determined how these extracted components affect the level of active angiotensin and alpha amylase (spectrophotometry). We then elucidated how these properties changed when physiological digestion conditions (pH and pancreatin activity) were disturbed to mimic gastric hyperacidity, hypochlorhydria or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. The key finding was that every tested type of bread produced with laboratory sourdough exhibited pronounced angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. The effect was preserved even in dysregulated digestive conditions. The use of laboratory sourdough prevented an increase in allergenicity when pancreatin was restricted as opposed to the commercial sourdough, which surpassed the reference sample reading at 50% pancreatin. No statistically consistent link was reported when the inhibition of alpha amylase was assayed. In conclusion, functional bread manufactured with sourdough composed of L. plantarum BS, L. brevis 1269, and L. sanfranciscensis 20663 was shown to be potentially capable of contributing to the treatment against hypertension as evidenced by in vitro research. It was also moderately safer with regard to its allergenicity. Full article