Search

In breadmaking, dietary fibres are used to improve the nutritional quality of the final products; on the other hand, they may affect the physical and sensory properties. This work aimed to the evaluate, on pan breads, the effect of substituting 3 g of wheat flour with an equivalent amount of fibre rich ingredients: chestnut peels (CP) or wheat bran (WB), in comparison to a traditional wheat bread formulation (C). The effect of four levels of added water (54, 60, 66, 71 g/100 of flour) was also tested. The fibre content of CP (33%) and WB (42%) affected their water binding capacity and, consequently, the quality of the final loaves, according to the different water addition levels. In bread crumb, water content and water activity increased proportionally to the water addition levels, being instead in the crust also affected by the presence of fibres: lower water retention capacity was observed for CP, in comparison to WB and C. The loaf volume resulted higher for C in comparison to WB and CP, in relation to the larger dimensions of the crumb pores, probably due to the interfering effect of fibres during the development of the gluten network. Crumb hardness resulted higher for C at low water addition levels, being instead higher for CP at high water addition levels. CP showed a darker and redder colour, than both WB and C bread, for the presence of the brown pigments carried by chestnut peels. PCA analysis confirmed that more water is required for both the fibre-enriched breads to show characteristics similar to the control loaves.

Encapsulation of olive leaves extracts (OLE), rich of healthy components like Oleuropein, Hydroxytyrosol and Verbascoside, represents a new challenge to improve stability and nutritional value of food as well as a way to recover value added compounds from by-products, contributing to a more sustainable food system. In this context, OLE-loaded microbeads of Na alginate alone or in combination with Pectin, Na Caseinate or Whey protein isolates, were produced by emulsification internal ionotropic gelation. Encapsulation efficiency of the main phenolic compounds (Oleuropein, Hydroxytyrosol, Verbascoside) was carried out along with microparticles morphological characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and color. Encapsulation efficiency resulted higher for Alginate/Pectin, whilst Alginate/Caseinate was the less performing system, probably due to the lower interaction with polyphenols. SEM revealed collapsed structures and continuous smooth surfaces for Alginate and Alginate/Pectin microbeads while more regular structures and porous surfaces were observed for Alginate/Caseinate and Alginate/Whey proteins. Higher hue angle and lower chroma values were observed for all the beads with respect to the pure extract, indicating a reduction of the yellow/brown color. DSC highlighted higher thermal stability for the microbeads in comparison to the original ingredients, showing also new thermal transitions related to bonds formation between polymers and OLE., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Verbascoside showed higher encapsulation efficiency compared to Oleuropein. • Alginate/Pectin was the most efficient system for encapsulation purposes. • Microstructural traits were linked to the encapsulation efficiency. • Thermal analysis revealed increased thermal stability of encapsulated polyphenols. • Encapsulation allowed a mitigation of the color properties of the olive leaf extract.

Cocoa bean shells (CBS) are by-products of cocoa processing. Their rich chemical composition makes them interesting ingredients to improve the overall quality of gluten free bread. The addition of different dimensional fractions (F1, 1.00–1.99 mm; F2, 0.50–0.99 mm; F3, 0.355–0.49 mm) of CBS to gluten-free bread was investigated in terms of volume, moisture content, crumb grain, texture and colour during 3 days of storage. No significant differences in moisture content were observed among fractions, but protein, fat and fibre content resulted influenced by the dimensional range. With reference to water absorption indexes, F2 showed the highest water binding capacity (WBC) and water holding capacity (WHC), having instead the lowest water solubility index (WSI), in comparison with the other fractions, and confirming a good retention of the fibres’ structure. Results on bread showed that CBS addition modified crumb grain leading to a lower specific volume, especially for F2. The presence of CBS accelerated significantly the crumb staling process in comparison with the control, resulting; however, F1 softer than control at the end of the storage period. Finally, colour was improved by the presence of CBS becoming darker, with F3 showing the highest impact on L* and a*.

Green coffee parchment (GCP) is becoming interesting, due to the diffusion of wet processing in which coffee parchment is collected separately, it is one of the less studied coffee by-products, but it is reported to be rich in phenolic compounds and dietary fiber. The addition of GCP (355&ndash, 500 &mu, m) at 2 % to gluten-free breads was investigated in terms of physical properties (volume, moisture content, water activity, crumb grain, texture, and color), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total phenol content during three days of storage. Moreover, the effects of GCP on sensorial characteristics, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and oxidative stability was evaluated. From the sensorial analysis, bread with 2% addition resulted in being acceptable for consumers with no significant differences from the control, while 4% of GCP was discarded by consumers, as it resulted in being too bitter. Moreover, GCP at 2% addition did not modify volume, moisture content, and water activity. On the contrary, GCP deeply affected the color with a darker aspect that was appreciated by consumers. Regarding texture, 2% of GCP did not affect hardness, cohesiveness, and staling process during storage. Interestingly, 2% of GCP significantly improved the TAC and oxidative stability of the bread, in accordance with these results, 2% of GCP reduced the HMF content, thanks to its antioxidant compounds.

Bread origins are closely linked with those of the first civilizations of the Mediterranean area. Today bread is spread all over the world and available in many types. The relationship between ingredients, processes and quality of the final products is very close. The use of additional ingredients beside those basic (i.e. wheat flour, water and yeast), and the advent of new technologies have allowed a wide diversification of bread products over the centuries. Despite the technological evolution, bread is still a very traditional product, rooted in the territories of origin and in the habits of some places. In this chapter, an overview on ingredients, technologies, and new trends in breadmaking are described, highlighting the strong link between tradition and innovation existing for this kind of products.

Stabilization of ohmic pretreated peach cubes (ohm) in syrup, representative of semifinished fruit products, was finalized by ohmic heating (OHM) and high pressure processing (HPP), proposed respectively as thermal and nonthermal pasteurization, in comparison to a conventional pasteurization treatment (DIM). The samples were then studied in terms of histological, physical (dimensional distribution, tenderometry, texture, viscosity of syrup and colour), chemical (total phenolic and ascorbic acid content), and sensorial (triangle test) properties. Severe modifications of the cell walls were observed in ohm-DIM and ohm-OHM samples, with swelling and electroporation, respectively. From chemical analyses, significant reduction of ascorbic acid and simultaneous increase of total phenolics content were observed for ohm-DIM and ohm-OHM, probably in relation to the cell wall damages. ohm-HPP showed the best preservation of the dimensional characteristics and hardness, followed by ohm-OHM and ohm-DIM. In addition, textural and colour parameters evidenced similar results, with ohm-HPP as the less different from ohm. Finally, the sensorial analysis confirmed ohm-HPP and ohm-OHM samples as the most similar to ohm as well as the most appreciated in terms of colour and consistency.

Quartered Violetto artichokes were cooked with different treatments (boiling, steaming, sous vide and vacuum cooking) at the same cooking value at the thermal centre. Then, the physical (moisture content, texture and colour), histological and chemical (phenolic, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furan content, total antioxidant capacity) features of bracts and hearts were assessed. A deeply modified microstructure was observed in boiled and steamed samples with an evident decrease in hardness both for bracts and hearts. Lightness of two anatomical parts was decreased by all the treatments (with the exception of sous vide bracts). The highest total colour difference was recorded for steamed samples, whereas the lowest was noted for sous vide samples. Steamed and sous vide artichoke exhibited the highest total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. Sous vide samples exhibited the highest concentrations of HMF, 2-furan-methanol and 2,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimetyl-3(2H)-furanone, whereas the by-product 5-metylfuraldheide was only detected in the steamed product.

Shortbread cookies with 0, 20, 40 and 50% fat replacement were obtained using an emulsion filled gel (EFG) based on inulin and extra virgin olive oil and studied during 60 storage days. Increasing the amount of EFG in shortbread cookies, higher volumes and harder texture were observed, in relation to the higher water availability and the lower fat content. Thermal analysis conducted by means of DSC and 1H-NMR confirmed the key role of lipids and water status on the mechanical properties of shortbread cookies. Darker colour and toasted notes were registered for increasing levels of EFG, in relation to the presence of inulin involved in the Maillard reaction. During storage, all the cookies resulted very stable regarding dimensions, colour and rancidity perception; only slight texture changes were observed, probably related to the moisture redistribution among the cookies components. EFG can be proposed as valuable ingredient to replace fats in shortbread cookies, allowing the use of the health claim “reduced saturated fat content” already from 40% butter substitution.

The present study investigated the effect of different levels of chestnut flour in formulations of soft wheat fresh pasta. A physicochemical characterization of flours, uncooked and cooked pasta was carried out. Chestnut flour showed higher water absorption properties than soft wheat flour or mix of them. Frozen water of pasta decreased for higher level of chestnut substitution, being instead water activity constant. During cooking chestnut enriched pasta showed higher solid loss for increasing levels of substitution, in relation with the reduction of hardness and deformability. Increasing percentages of chestnut flour were also reflected in a progressive darkening of the final products. Moreover, the increased antioxidant activity observed on enriched pasta, even after cooking, may be related to the high level of antioxidant compounds of chestnut flour. Proton molecular dynamics was also influenced by the formulation, as resulted by the increased protons mobility observed for higher levels of chestnut flour replacement.

A multi‐level investigation was carried out to characterise uncooked to overcooked pasta. Macroscopic, mesoscopic and molecular properties were measured and their changes were clearly related to the process of cooking: hardness and viscoelastic decreased, moisture content and gelatinisation degree increased and ¹H molecular mobility changed. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 82% (PC1: 47.7% and PC2: 34.3%), enabling the differentiation by cluster of different cooking phases: uncooked, undercooked (described by degree of gelatinisation and rigid protons’ populations [FID and T₂]); medium‐cooked (described by higher mobility protons [T₂E1, T₂E2 and %PopE2]), cooked at suggested cooking time (described by viscoelastic properties) and over‐cooked pasta by molecular mobility parameters (T₂D, T₂E and %PopF). Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry was a valuable tool to describe the entire cooking process, whereas viscoelastic properties effectively characterised suggested cooking time.

This work reports for the first time a study of physico-chemical changes in cooked and sterilized pasta meals (pasta 25% and sauce 75%) during 34 days of storage. Water dynamics were studied with a multi-analytical and multidimensional approach: moisture content, water activity and 1 H mobility ( 1 H T 2 and T 1 relaxation times and 1 H self diffusion coefficient [D]) have been considered. Macroscopic structure (hardness) of pasta meals became softer during storage. Moisture content and water activity changes did not highlight a macroscopic water migration between the pasta and sauce phases. 1 H T 2 was found to decrease in pasta and more markedly in sauce during storage while 1 H T 1 increased the mobility in pasta and decreased in sauce. 1 H translational mobility (D) was found to decrease more significantly in sauce than in pasta during storage. A water migration between the pasta and sauce phases observable at molecular level was therefore hypothesized. Industrial relevance Ready to eat pasta meals are becoming an important segment of the global food market. Ready to eat pasta meals are subjected to quality loss and, in particular, textural degradation during storage. The complexity of these products (e.g. presence of multiple phases [pasta and sauce], high moisture content), makes a challenge for the food industry to understand the phenomena involved in their aging process. This is a first scientific report aiming at the description and comprehension of the phenomena involved in the aging process of ready to eat pasta meals and it might provide important information to intelligently intervene on formulation and/or processing to improve product's quality and shelf-stability.