Innovative Covering Liquids Stabilising Water-Fat Leachate from Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Used as Pizza Topping.

This study analyses the possibility of changing the composition of the covering liquid in which mozzarella cheese is stored. The characterisation of mozzarella cheese consumed fresh and during later culinary use as a pizza topping was carried out. Mozzarella cheese from cow's milk and reconstituted sheep's milk were used for this study. The cheese was stored in whey-based covering liquid to which single or double amounts of lactose and/or citric acid (w/w) were added. The results obtained during laboratory analysis showed that the addition of lactose and/or citric acid to the covering liquid significantly impacted the mass of the cheese and the changes that can occur during later culinary use. The observed changes in the cheese during storage in the covering liquid were confirmed by the characteristics of the liquid itself. The smallest mass changes were related to cheeses stored in a covering liquid with double the amount of lactose and a single amount of citric acid. This cheese also displayed positive changes in all assessed descriptors (texture, melt, and colour). The amount of leachate from the cheese was small and occurred relatively late after unpacking and quartering. Based on the results of the study, changes made to the composition of the covering liquids can positively affect the characteristics of mozzarella cheese. Additionally, this data allows for the creation of specialised mozzarella cheeses that can pique the consumer's interest.

Influence of the Mozzarella Type on Chemical and Sensory Properties of "Pizza Margherita".

BACKGROUND: According to Neapolitan Pizza Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) regulation, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and Fiordilatte mozzarella are the exclusive cheeses to be used, together with tomato and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), to season pizza in the "Margherita" variant. However, the so-called "Pizza mozzarella", that is a diary product having lower moisture content and a longer shelf life than Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and Fiordilatte mozzarella, is widely used in many pizzerias, both in Italy and abroad. Therefore, we investigated its quality, in comparison with Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella, as well as its effect on the quality of the Margherita pizza. METHODS: Chemical and sensory analyses were conducted on mozzarella samples and on baked pizza topping samples. RESULTS: The results revealed a better quality of pizza with Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella for their higher antioxidant activity, oxidative stability and lower amount of undesired volatile compounds. CONCLUSIONS: The use of Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella in the preparation of Margherita pizza improves its quality, especially if these mozzarella types are combined with other high-quality ingredients, namely tomato sauce and EVOO, characterized by the presence of antioxidant compounds (e.g., α-tocopherol not affected by the heat treatment of pizza baking.

Does Pizza Consumption Favor an Improved Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

To our knowledge, no studies so far have investigated the role of pizza and its ingredients in modulating disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We assessed this question via a recent cross-sectional study including 365 participants from Italy, the birthplace of pizza. Multiple robust linear and logistic regression models were fitted with the tertile consumption categories of each available pizza-related food item/group (i.e., pizza, refined grains, mozzarella cheese, and olive oil) as independent variables, and each available RA activity measure (i.e., the Disease Activity Score on 28 joints with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), and the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)) as the dependent variable. Stratified analyses were carried out according to the disease severity or duration. Participants eating half a pizza >1 time/week (vs. ≤2 times/month) reported beneficial effects on disease activity, with the significant reductions of ~70% (overall analysis), and 80% (the more severe stratum), and the significant beta coefficients of -0.70 for the DAS28-CRP, and -3.6 for the SDAI (overall analysis) and of -1.10 and -5.30 (in long-standing and more severe RA, respectively). Among the pizza-related food items/groups, mozzarella cheese and olive oil showed beneficial effects, especially in the more severe stratum. Future cohort studies are needed to confirm this beneficial effect of pizza and related food items/groups on RA disease activity.

Microbiological Quality and Safety of Pizza Held Out of Temperature Control in University Dining Halls.

Pizza is a popular food consumed around the world every day. Hot food temperatures were obtained from 19,754 nonpizza samples and 1,336 pizza temperatures were taken from dining facilities operated by Rutgers University between 2001 and 2020. These data showed that pizza was more frequently out of temperature control than many other foods. A total of 57 pizza samples that were out of temperature control were collected for further study. Pizza was tested for total aerobic plate count (TPC), Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Lactic acid bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Water activity of pizza and surface pH of each individual pizza component (topping, cheese, bread) were measured. Predictions for the growth of four relevant pathogens were made for select pH and water activity values using ComBase. Rutgers University dining hall data show only about 60% of all foods that are pizza are held at the appropriate temperature. When pizza contained detectable microorganisms (∼70% of samples), average TPC ranged from 2.72 log CFU/g to 3.34 log CFU/g. Two pizza samples contained detectable S. aureus (∼50 CFU/g). Two other samples contained B. cereus (∼50 and 100 CFU/g). Five pizza samples contained coliforms (4-9 MPN/g), and no E. coli were detected. Correlation coefficients (R2 values) for TPC and pickup temperature are quite low (<0.06). Based on the pH and water activity measurements, most (but not all) of the pizza samples would be considered to potentially require time temperature control for safety. The modeling analysis shows that the organism most likely to pose a risk would be S. aureus, and the largest magnitude increase predicted is 0.89 log CFU at 30°C, pH 5.52, and water activity 0.963. The overall conclusion from this study is that while pizza represents a theoretical risk, the actual risk would likely only manifest for pizza samples that are held out of temperature control for time periods of more than eight hours.

Semiempirical modeling of a traditional wood-fired pizza oven in quasi-steady-state operating conditions.

Wood-fired ovens are mandatorily used to bake the Neapolitan pizza. Unfortunately, they are still empirically operated. In this work, a pilot-scale wood-fired oven was kept operating in quasi-steady-state conditions. Once the combustion reaction of oak logs had been modeled, the composition of flue gas measured, and the external oven wall and floor temperatures thermographically scanned, it was possible to check for the material and energy balances and, thus, assess that the heat loss rates through flue gas and insulated oven chamber were, respectively, equal to 46% and 26% of the energy supplied by burning firewood. The enthalpy accumulation rate in the internal fire brick oven chamber amounted to about 3.4 kW, this being adequate to keep not only the temperatures of the oven vault and floor practically constant but also to bake one or two pizzas at the same time. Such a rate was predicted by contemplating the simultaneous heat transfer mechanisms of radiation and convection between the oven vault and floor surface areas. The efficacy of the semiempirical modeling developed here was further tested by reconstructing quite accurately the time course of water heating in aluminum trays with a diameter near to that of a typical Neapolitan pizza. The heat flow from the oven vault to the water-containing tray was of the radiative and convective types for about 73% and 15%, whereas the residual 12% was of the conductive type from the oven floor. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Despite wood-fired ovens are largely used in the restaurant and food service industry, their operation is highly dependent on the operator's ability. This study shows how the heat loss rates through flue gas and insulated oven chamber can be assessed, and how the enthalpy accumulation rate in the internal fire brick oven chamber can be predicted by accounting for the simultaneous heat transfer mechanisms of radiation and convection between the oven vault and floor surface areas. The efficacy of this semi-empirical modelling was further checked for via some water heating tests.

Phenomenology of Neapolitan Pizza Baking in a Traditional Wood-Fired Oven.

Despite Neapolitan pizza is a globally renowned Italian food, its obligatory baking in wood-fired ovens has so far received little attention in the scientific community. Since heat transfer during pizza baking is not at all uniform, the main aim of this work was to analyze the phenomenology of Neapolitan pizza baking in a pilot-scale wood-fired pizza oven operating in quasi steady-state conditions. The different upper area sections of pizza covered or not by the main topping ingredients (i.e., tomato puree, sunflower oil, or mozzarella cheese), as well the bottom of the pizza and the growth of its raised rim, were characterized by visual colorimetric analysis, while the time course of their corresponding temperatures was monitored using an infrared thermal scanning camera. The maximum temperature of the pizza bottom was equal to 100 ± 9 °C, while that of the upper pizza side ranged from 182 °C to 84 or 67 °C in the case of white pizza, tomato pizza, or margherita pizza, respectively, mainly because of their diverse moisture content and emissivity. The pizza weight loss was nonlinearly related to the average temperature of the upper pizza side. The formation of brown or black colored areas on the upper and lower sides of baked pizza was detected with the help of an electronic eye. The upper side exhibited greater degrees of browning and blackening than the lower one, their maximum values being about 26 and 8%, respectively, for white pizza. These results might help develop a specific modelling and monitoring strategy to reduce variability and maximize the quality attributes of Neapolitan pizza.

Textural characteristics and color analyses of 3D printed gluten-free pizza dough and crust.

A new methodology was developed to print pizza dough with a gluten free flour blend or commercial gluten whole wheat flour using extrusion-based 3-D printing technology. Their physical properties were compared to commercially available pizza dough and crust. The optimized nozzle size, print speed, ingredient flow speed, and line thickness for the 3-D printing of pizza dough were: 0.04 cm, 800 cm/minutes, 1.8, and 0.34 cm, respectively. The printed gluten-free pizza dough required 120 min of fermentation to obtain a comparable color and textural profile (P < 0.05) to that of the gluten whole wheat flour dough fermented for 60 min. The 3-D printed gluten free, whole-wheat pizza and commercially available wheat flour dough and standard crusts demonstrated identical Δ E ab ∗ values of 0.14 and 0.13, respectively with brownness index (BI) values of 1.47 and 1.62, respectively. Textural profile analysis (TPA) of 3-D printed gluten free and whole wheat pizza dough, crust and the commercial standard wheat flour pizza dough and crust demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) correlations in terms of hardness, fracturability, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience. An optimized method was developed to prepare gluten-free pizza dough and crust with similar functional properties to that of gluten whole wheat flour dough and crust.

The effect of pH on the rheological and physical properties of analogue pizza cheese.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the pH levels (5.8, 6.0, 6.2, and 6.4) on analogue pizza cheese (APC) rheological and physical characteristics. The APC formulation included 25% vegetable oil and 18.5% rennet casein. The APC samples were made using a Thermomix device and the cheese was stored at + 5 °C for 5 days before it was transferred to - 18 °C. Rotational rheometer measurements showed that all samples followed Herchel-Buckley viscoplastic Model with a different yield stress, highest apparent viscosity, and shear stress values were obtained at pH 6.4 followed by pH 6.2; then the values were dropped by 70%. Melting and stretching showed the best characteristics for the APC sample at pH 6.4, whereas at pH 6.0 stretching values decreased by 77%. The APC samples at pH ≥ 6.2 showed better stability after 6 months of frozen storage in the apparent viscosity than other cheeses. This study concluded that better rheological and physical properties were obtained for the APC at pH ≥ 6.20 and that significant variation for the rheological behavior of the APC can be based on the pH alone, as a slight alteration in the pH was found to affect product quality and acceptability.

Validation of baking as a kill-step for controlling Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli during traditional crust pizza baking process.

A study was conducted to validate a simulated traditional crust pepperoni pizza baking process to control Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and to determine the heat resistance characteristics of STEC in pizza dough. Pizza dough and pepperoni slices were inoculated with 7 strains STEC cocktail and baked at 500°F (260°C) for 12 min using a conventional kitchen oven followed by 15 min of ambient air cooling. The mean internal temperature of the pizza reached 209.32 ± 1.94°F by the end of 12 min of baking and dropped to 137.90 ± 2.88°F after the 15 min ambient air cooling. The aw and pH of the traditional crust pizza did not alter significantly during the baking process. The STEC population decreased by >5 log CFU/g in traditional crust pizza after 12 min of baking. Where pepperoni slices were used as a source of STEC introduction, a reduction of >6.5 log CFU/g was observed. The D-values of STEC cocktail in pizza dough at 55, 58, 61°C were 49.5 ± 4.10, 15.3 ± 0.68, and 2.8 ± 0.31 min, respectively. The z-value of STEC was 4.8 ± 0.16°C. This study validated that a typical traditional crust pizza baking process with ~209°F internal temperature for at least 12 min will result in 5 log reductions in STEC population.

Performance characterization of a traditional wood-fired pizza oven.

Neapolitan pizza, a renowned Italian food recognized as one of the traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG) by European Commission Regulation no. 97/2010, should be exclusively baked in wood-fired ovens for approximately 90 s. Despite its extensive use in restaurants and rotisserie shops all around the world, such equipment has been very poorly studied thus far. The aims of this study were to characterize the operation of a pilot-scale wood-fired pizza oven from its start-up phase to its baking operation and assess its thermal efficiency. To manage brick firing, the oven was lighted at a firewood feed rate (Qfw ) of 3 kg/h for just 1 h on the first day, 2 h on the second day, 4 h on the third day, and approximately 8 h on the fourth day. Independent of its lighting frequency, after 4-6 h, the oven vault or floor temperature approached an equilibrium value of 546 ± 53°C or 453 ± 32°C, respectively. The initial oven floor temperature gradient was linearly related to Qfw , while the maximum floor temperature tended to an asymptotic value of 629 ± 43°C at Qfw = 9 kg/h. The well-known water boiling test was adapted to assess the heat absorbed by a prefixed amount of water when the pizza oven was operating in pseudosteady-state conditions at Qfw = 3 kg/h. The thermal efficiency of this oven was 13 ± 4%, and this value was further confirmed by other baking tests with four different white and tomato pizza products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Although wood-fired pizza ovens are largely used all over the world, little is known about their transitory and pseudosteady-state regime performance. This study shows how to perform the start-up procedure of pilot-scale equipment and, independent of the operator's ability, how to achieve pseudosteady-state conditions using different firewood feed rates. Finally, its thermal efficiency was assessed by water heating and pizza baking tests, which allowed a rough estimation of firewood consumption.

Analysis of the Physical and Structure Characteristics of Reformulated Pizza Bread.

The current study deciphers the processing of different proportions of white flour and whole wheat flour (100:0, 75:25, 50:50: 25:75, and 0:100) into a pizza base using yeast-based fermentation. The bread making using the yeast system resulted in significant changes in the characteristics of bread, ranging from the porous structure development to the crumb cellular structure modifications. An increase in the proportions of whole wheat flour resulted in the formation of golden yellow pizza bases. The lightness of the crust was decreased, whereas the yellowness index was increased as the whole wheat flour contents were increased. The pore size of the pizza base was decreased while the pore density was increased as the whole wheat flour content was raised within the bread. The microscopic study also showed the formation of porous structures on the bulk of the pizza base. The texture analysis of the bread also suggested an increase in the formation of the rigid network structure when the amount of whole wheat flour was increased. The springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience were comparable for all the prepared samples. On the other hand, the values for hardness, gumminess, and chewiness showed an increasing trend with the increase in the whole wheat flour content. The impedance of the samples decreased when there was an increase in the whole wheat flour content. Overall, the pizza base that was developed with 50% whole wheat flour and 50% white flour ratio displayed acceptably firm yet sufficient viscoelastic properties for human consumption.

Development of Functional Pizza Base Enriched with Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) Powder.

Functional and enriched foods are increasingly in demand in the global market due to their benefits for human health and their prevention of several diseases. The aim of this work was to develop a functional pizza base, produced in the Neapolitan style, exploiting the beneficial properties of jujube. The jujube fruit is rich in phenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity and represents a good candidate for functional food development. The doughs were prepared by replacing the wheat flour with 2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5% (w/w) of Ziziphus jujube powder (ZJP) and were subsequently cooked. Chemical analyses showed that both total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity grew with the increase of ZJP. The addition of ZJP darkened the pizza base and raised its hardness, gumminess, and chewiness. However, no difference was found in the springiness and cohesiveness of the samples with or without ZJP. These results suggest that jujube powder can be successfully introduced into pizza dough as a functional ingredient.

Effects of Water and Gelatinized Starch on the Viscoelasticity of Pizza Dough and the Texture of Pizza Crust.

The soft texture of the pizza crust rim is generated by baking at a high temperature for a short period in a stone oven. In the case of baking in an electric oven, the pizza dough is baked at a much lower temperature and for a longer period, resulting in a harder texture. To improve the texture of electric oven-baked pizza crust, the effects of water and gelatinized starch on the viscoelasticity of pizza dough and the texture of pizza crust were investigated. Rheological properties (storage modulus, loss modulus, and yield stress) of pizza dough decreased with an increase in water content. When wheat flour in the dough was partially replaced with pre-gelatinized wheat starch, the rheological properties of the dough were maintained even at a high-water content. These results indicate that water-enriched dough can be prepared with gelatinized starch and baked using an electric oven. There was no significant difference in apparent density between the conventional and modified pizza crusts. Water content of the crumb part of the modified crust was significantly higher than that of the conventional crust. Texture analysis revealed that the modified pizza crust showed significantly lower stress at high strain than the conventional crust. In addition, sensory evaluation showed that the modified pizza crust exhibited greater firmness and stickiness than the conventional crust, which was attributed to the increased water content with gelatinized starch of the dough.

The Effectiveness of Extruded-Cooked Lentil Flour in Preparing a Gluten-Free Pizza with Improved Nutritional Features and a Good Sensory Quality.

Extruded-cooked lentil (ECL) flour was used to fortify (10/100 g dough) gluten-free pizza, which was compared with rice/corn-based pizza (control), and with pizza containing native lentil (NL) flour. Viscoamylograph and Mixolab data evidenced the hydrocolloid properties of ECL flour (initial viscosity = 69.3 BU), which contained pregelatinized starch. The use of ECL flour made it possible to eliminate hydroxymethylcellulose (E464), obtaining a clean label product. Both NL and ECL pizzas showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher contents of proteins (7.4 and 7.3/100 g, respectively) than the control pizza (4.4/100 g) and could be labelled as "source of proteins" according to the Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006. In addition, NL and ECL pizzas were characterized by higher contents of bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins, and by higher in vitro antioxidant activity (1.42 and 1.35 µmol Trolox/g d.m., respectively) than the control pizza (1.07 µmol Trolox/g d.m.). However, NL and ECL pizzas also contained small amounts of undigestible oligosaccharides, typically present in lentils (verbascose = 0.92-0.98 mg/g d.m.; stachyose = 4.04-5.55 mg/g d.m.; and raffinose = 1.98-2.05 mg/g d.m.). No significant differences were observed in the liking level expressed by consumers between ECL and control pizzas.

Impact of intra-category food substitutions on the risk of type 2 diabetes: a modelling study on the pizza category.

Advice on replacing unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives within the same food category may be more acceptable and might ease the transition towards a healthy diet. Here, we studied the potential impact of substitutions within the pizza category on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study sample consisted of 2510 adults from the INCA2 French national survey. Based on their nutritional characteristics, the 353 pizzas marketed in France were grouped into 100 clusters that were used to run various scenarios of pizza substitutions, which were either isoenergetic (IE) or non-isoenergetic (NIE). We then used a model structurally similar to the Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl to assess the expected rate of change in risk of T2D. Pizzas characterised by a low energy, high vegetable content and whole grain dough were associated with a greater reduction in the risk of T2D. The rates of change in risk of T2D were markedly stronger in men and for NIE substitutions. When the rates of change were estimated in the subsample of pizza consumers, replacing the observed pizzas with the best pizza resulted in a T2D risk reduction of -6·7 % (-8·4 %; -4·9 %, IE) and -8·9 % (-11·2 %; -6·3 %, NIE), assuming that this is their usual diets. The greatest risk reduction induced by an IE substitution of the observed pizza with a mixed dish was similar to that observed with the best pizzas. Overall, this modelling study suggests that healthy swaps within a category can effectively supplement broader dietary changes towards a healthier diet.

Effect of Oil Type Used in Neapolitan Pizza TSG Topping on Its Physical, Chemical, and Sensory Properties.

BACKGROUND: According to the regulations of the Neapolitan Pizza TSG, extra virgin olive oil must be exclusively used as topping ingredient, together with tomato for pizza marinara-type production. As, often deliberately, other oils are replaced by pizza makers for economical and organoleptic purposes, the present study was conducted to analyze the quality of pizza depending on the oil typology used. METHODS: Chemical and sensory analyses were performed on olive oils and on pizza topping mix samples after cooking to detect changes due to the applied cooking processing. RESULTS: The results revealed the best quality of a monovarietal olive oil (Ottobratica cv.) for their peculiar phenolic content related to the best oxidation stability after pizza's cooking, expressed as bioactive amounts and lower presence of undesired volatile compounds. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an extra virgin monovarietal olive oil, such as Ottobratica cv., in the topping of pizza is preferable to other oils, also EVOO, because of its higher quality, which is reflected in greater health and pleasant characteristics from a sensorial point of view.

Growth of Ready Meals in Australian Supermarkets: Nutrient Composition, Price and Serving Size.

Pre-prepared, or ready meals (frozen, chilled and shelf-stable) are increasingly available in supermarkets in developed countries. This study aimed to investigate how the range of ready meals in Australian supermarkets has changed from 2014 to 2020, and how products vary by price, serving size, nutrient composition and Health Star Rating. Product information was obtained from the FoodTrack™ packaged food database for the years 2014 to 2019 and from an instore audit of products available in Adelaide, Australia for 2020. There was a 13% annual average increase in the number of ready meals available in supermarkets. Serving size did not change (median 350 g, p-trend = 0.100) and price increased modestly from 2014 to 2020 (median $1.67 to $1.79/100 g, p-trend < 0.001), with chilled ready meals being the most expensive. A modest decrease in sodium density from 2014 to 2020 (median 275 to 240 mg/100 g, p-trend < 0.001) was seen. However, the category has a wide range in Health Star Ratings and nutrient composition, highlighting the importance of appropriate consumer choice to optimise health benefits. With the increasing availability of ready meals, global improvements within this category should be encouraged and consumers guided to choose healthier products.

The Nutraceutical Properties of "Pizza Napoletana Marinara TSG" a Traditional Food Rich in Bioaccessible Antioxidants.

Italian gastronomy experiences have ever-enhancing fame around the world. It is due to the linkage between taste and salubriousness commonly related to Mediterranean foods. The market proposes many types of pizza to suit all palates. The antioxidant potential of the "Pizza Napoletana marinara" included in the register of traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG) was determined in this work. ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) method evaluated the antioxidant activity of the pizza homogenized. In vitro digestion models estimated the intestinal and gastric bioaccessibility of the main antioxidant compounds (lycopene and phenolics). To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide the content, antioxidant potential, and bioaccessibility of the antioxidants (polyphenols and lycopene) contained in the traditional pizza "marinara TSG". Our results showed that the "Pizza Napoletana marinara" had polyphenols concentration, lycopene level, antioxidant activity, and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and lycopene better than other similar pizzas. They confirmed the nutritional importance of traditional preparations and established the nutraceutical potential of "pizza marinara TSG" as a food rich in bio-accessible antioxidants.

A Lower Sodium Neapolitan Pizza Prepared with Seawater in Place of Salt: Nutritional Properties, Sensory Characteristics, and Metabolic Effects.

Seawater is rich in minerals which may help confer good palatability to foods, favouring the use of smaller amounts of salt, a recognized measure of cardiovascular prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional properties, sensory characteristics and metabolic effects of a typical Neapolitan pizza prepared with seawater (SWP) in place of common salt, in comparison with Standard traditional Pizza (StP). The nutritional characteristics and the chemical profile of the SWP and StP were assessed by chemical analyses and the use of Food Composition Tables. Twelve healthy volunteers were recruited for a Randomized Controlled Trial, with the consumption of one StP and one SWP using a balanced crossover design. The satiating power and palatability of the two pizzas were tested by the administration of Visual Analogue Scales. Serum glucose, insulin and sodium were measured every 30 min and 3 h urines were collected after each meal. SWP contained nearly 50% less NaCl and a larger amount of micronutrients compared with StP. No significant differences were detected between the two pizzas with regard to satiating power, pleasantness and glycemic and insulinemic response. However, a significant difference was found in the urine volume collected over the 3 h after the two meals (194 mL after StP vs. 292 mL after SWP, p = 0.018) and in the 3 h sodium balance (+1.6 g after StP vs. +0.5 g after SWP, p = 0.002). Conclusions: SWP appears to be a food with favourable nutritional characteristics, very good acceptability and healthy metabolic properties: these results warrant confirmation by a larger intervention trial.

Technological Properties and Consumer Acceptability of Bakery Products Enriched with Brewers' Spent Grains.

Nowadays, brewers' spent grains (BSG) is considered the most abundant and low-cost brewing by-products, presenting a great potential as a functional food ingredient. Since BSG is rich in dietary fiber and protein, it can be a raw material of interest in bakery products. However, blending wheat flour with BSG can affect dough rheology and the structural and sensorial properties of products. In this context, BSG flour at different levels (0%, 5%, and 10%) was used to enrich three commercial soft wheat flours, and to develop new formulations for bakery products (bread, breadsticks and pizza). As expected, the enrichment caused a significant increase of proteins, dietary fibers, lipids, and ash related to the BSG enrichment level. Significant changes in dough rheological properties (e.g., higher water absorption, lower development time and stability, dough strength, and tenacity) and in the color of the crust and crumbs of bakery products were also observed. At last, the consumer test pointed out that the 5% BSG enrichment showed the higher overall acceptability of proposed bakery products.