Guided LAB fermentation unlocks quality potential of wheat-sorghum composite bread.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Microbiology
• Cereal Science

Background:

• Wheat-sorghum bread offers nutritional benefits but can have suboptimal texture and sensory attributes.
• Fermentation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a traditional method to improve bread quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of fermenting sorghum flour with specific LAB strains on wheat-sorghum bread quality.
• To determine how different LAB strains influence bread's structural, chemical, and sensory properties.

Main Methods:

• Sorghum flour was fermented using Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 1932, Lacticaseibacillus casei 4339, and Leuconostoc spp. 4454.
• Fermented sorghum was incorporated into wheat bread formulations, and quality attributes (crumb structure, volume, hardness, color, volatile compounds, sensory evaluation) were assessed.

Main Results:

• Lacticaseibacillus casei 4339 and Leuconostoc spp. 4454 increased pore size and crumb openness.
• Lb. delbrueckii 1932 and Leu. 4454 increased bread cohesiveness.
• Fermentation enhanced bread color (brightness L* and redness a*) and volatile profiles.
• Lacticaseibacillus casei 4339 resulted in the highest sensory scores for overall appearance and acceptability.

Conclusions:

• Guided lactic fermentation of sorghum flour is a viable strategy to enhance the structural and aromatic properties of wheat-sorghum bread.
• Specific LAB strains can be selected to tailor bread characteristics, improving sensory acceptability.