Improvement of Bread Quality by Adding Wheat Germ Fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1

Fermentation has been considered as an effective way to improve the nutritional and sensory quality of food materials. In this paper, fermented wheat germ (FWG) was prepared by fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 and added as an ingredient in bread making for nutrition and quality improvement. The amounts ranged from 1 % to 6 % of FWG were added into ingredients for bread making, the similar amounts of raw wheat germ (RWG) were used as control, and the wheat flour without germ addition was used as blank. Then, bread quality was evaluated through nutrition, texture, and flavor analyses. The results showed that 4% of FWG addition had the ability to increase the specific volume, slow down the aging process, and improve the color and luster of bread. A significant increase in free amino acid content was observed in the FWG bread, which could be helpful to enrich the flavor substances in bread. The flavor analysis of bread showed that more volatile compounds mainly alcohols and aldehydes were present in FWG bread compared with RWG bread. In the fermentation process, the pH value was decreased and the total titratable acidity (TTA) was enhanced to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, the addition of FWG could not only enhance its nutritional properties, but also improve the flavor, quality, and structural features of bread. Moreover, it exhibited a good availability to extend the shelf life of bread.