Sourdough Bread Quality: Facts and Factors

The term "sourdough" denotes a dough composed of flour and water, fermented through the action of yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The utilization of sourdough fermentation technology can enhance the nutritional attributes of bread made from wheat grain. In recent times, sourdough bread has experienced a resurgence, fueled by growing consumer demand for healthier bread options. The market dynamics for sourdough illustrate its rapid expansion and significant role in the contemporary food industry. Sourdough fermentation improves nutritional qualities by altering the structure and function of proteins and starch, enhancing dietary fiber, volatile compound profiles, and antioxidant activity, and reducing FODMAPs. The quality of sourdough bread is influenced by several factors, including fermentation environment, flour particle size, protein quality, starch characteristics, and dietary fiber composition. Moreover, the incorporation of alternative grains (intermediate wheatgrass and legume flour) and non-flour ingredients (fruits, herbs, and dairy products) presents opportunities for creating sourdough bread with unique sensory and nutritional profiles. This review offers updated insights on the quality aspects of sourdough fermentation, the factors that influence the effectiveness of the sourdough fermentation process, sourdough technology with unconventional and non-flour ingredients, and the potential market for frozen sourdough, considering its convenience and extended shelf life.

Influence of the xanthan gum addition on the technological and sensory quality of baking products during the freezing storage

The influence of the 0.16% xanthan gum addition in the recipe of the bread production and its influence on the baking and sensory quality of products was monitored during the process of our research. Prepared dough was inserted in the freezing box directly (-18°C) and it was stored for one, two, three, four, five and six months. When the baking process was finished, the products with xanthan gum and the products without it were compared and evaluated by both objective and subjective methods. It was found that freezing, cooling and storage of the products without xanthan gum addition influenced the volume, vaulting and general appearance of the products in a negative way and loaves of bread were evaluated as unacceptable after four months of freezing. The quality of experimental loaves of bread with xanthan gum was, even after six months of freezing storage, comparable with freshly baked products. Despite the freezing, the volume of the products had an increased value. After first month of freezing the volume increased by 28.6% and after two months of freezing it increased by 23.8% both compared to the control. The vaulting in products processed by freezing was in the required optimal level during the whole period of freezing. Sensory evaluation results of loaves of bread with xanthan gum were the best after three, four and five months of storage in a freezer, when 98 points were achieved. During the monitored period of freezing, the addition of 0.16% of xanthan gum markedly contributed to the preservation of sensory and baking quality of the frozen wheat dough.