Functionality of Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) in Spontaneous Sourdough Fermentation and Bread...

Area of Science:

• Cereal Science and Technology
• Food Fermentation
• Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

• Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is a perennial cereal grain with environmental benefits.
• Its nutritional profile suggests suitability for sourdough fermentation, an area yet unexplored.
• Whole wheat (WW) flour is a common benchmark for sourdough studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of two IWG cultivars in spontaneous sourdough fermentation.
• To compare IWG sourdoughs with whole wheat sourdoughs.
• To assess the functionality of IWG sourdough as a bread ingredient.

Main Methods:

• Pin milling of IWG and WW to produce whole grain flours.
• Spontaneous fermentation of flours over an 11-day backslopping period.
• Analysis of flour composition (protein, fiber, minerals) and sourdough characteristics (lactic acid, pH, titratable acidity).
• Baking trials incorporating 20% IWG sourdough into wheat-based bread.

Main Results:

• IWG flours exhibited higher protein, fiber, and mineral content (especially calcium) than WW flour.
• IWG sourdoughs demonstrated greater lactic acid accumulation during fermentation.
• Breads containing 20% IWG sourdough showed no significant differences in loaf volume or firmness compared to WW sourdough breads.
• Crumb pH and total titratable acidity differed between IWG and WW sourdough breads.

Conclusions:

• Intermediate wheatgrass is a promising novel substrate for sourdough fermentation.
• IWG sourdough can be incorporated into wheat-based bread without negatively impacting key quality attributes.
• This research supports the exploration of IWG in baking and fermentation industries.