Effect of ficin-hydrolyzed wheat gluten on bread quality and in vitro antioxidant activity before and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of adding ficin-hydrolyzed wheat gluten at different levels (0%, 1%, 2%, 4%) on bread quality, and in vitro antioxidant activity before and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Our findings revealed that the incorporation of the generated wheat gluten hydrolysates (WGH) up to 4 g per 100 g flour positively affected the technological and physical-chemical characterizations of breads, including dough rheological properties, color, specific volume, and moisture. The texture profile analysis indicated reductions in hardness, springiness, and chewiness of the breads, and confirmed anti-staling properties during storage. The enriched breads received satisfactory scores from the sensory panel and were perceived as less stale after a 4-day period of storage. The aroma score of the 4% WGH bread was significantly higher than other treatments. Regarding taste, the 4% WGH bread scored the lowest, but the obtained value was not statistically significant. The enriched breads exhibited DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging, and Fe2+ chelation abilities that increased in response to higher levels of hydrolysate incorporation, and these antioxidant activities were enhanced after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Our findings confirm that it is possible to apply ficin-generated WGH to enhance physicochemical, nutritional, and biological quality of bread.

A comparative study on the effect of homogenization conditions on the properties of the film-forming emulsions and the resultant films.

Emulsions based on licorice essential oil (LEO) were prepared under different homogenization conditions (ultra-homogenization (U1) or U1 together with sonication (U2)). The obtained emulsions were incorporated into the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) film. The results showed that U2 caused significant changes in the size and the surface charge of the emulsions. Remarkable differences in the microstructure were observed between the U1 and the U2 emulsion-based films as revealed by SEM and AFM. Both emulsions reduced the rigidity and increased the flexibility of the films. The film made from the CMC alone had a water vapor permeability (WVP) of 2.66 × 10-9 g m-1 s-1 Pa-1, while the CMC film made from U2 emulsion had a WVP of 1.87 × 10-9 g m-1 s-1 Pa-1. Also, the film containing 0.0125% U1-LEO exhibited antibacterial activity on gram-positive bacteria only while the film containing 0.0125% U2-LEO demonstrated antibacterial activity on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The Production of Synbiotic Bread by Microencapsulation.

Bread is a global staple food. Despite attempts to develop functional breads containing viable microorganisms, this has not been done yet because of the high temperature during baking. The aim of this study is to obtain synbiotic bread, hence hamburger bun and white pan bread were selected. Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and L. casei 431 were encapsulated with calcium alginate and Hi-maize resistant starch via emulsion technique and coated with chitosan. The morphology and size of microcapsules were measured by scanning electron microscopy and particle size analyser. Inulin was added at 5% wheat flour mass basis for prebiotic effect. The encapsulated probiotics were inoculated into the bread dough and bread loaves were baked. The survival of encapsulated probiotics was determined after baking; also sensory evaluation was performed. Both types of bread met the standard criteria for probiotic products. The probiotic survival was higher in hamburger bun. L. casei 431 was more resistant to high temperature than L. acidophilus LA-5. A significant increase in probiotic survival was observed when the protective coating of chitosan was used in addition to calcium alginate and Hi-maize resistant starch. Storage for 4 days did not have any effect on the viability of encapsulated bacteria. The addition of encapsulated bacteria did not have any effect on flavour and texture; however, 5% inulin improved the texture of bread significantly. Results show that microencapsulation used in the production of synbiotic bread can enhance the viability and thermal resistance of the probiotic bacteria.