Triticale has been suggested for human consumption due to its valuable nutritional composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate volatile compound dynamics in the technological processes of triticale bread and triticale bread with sourdough prepared using Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis based cultures. Two types of sourdough ready-to-use sourdough and two-stage sourdough were used for bread making. Triticale bread without sourdough was used as a control. Volatile compounds from a headspace of flour blend, sourdough, as well as mixed dough, fermented dough, bread crumb and crust were extracted using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Alcohols, mainly 1-hexanol, were the main volatiles in the triticale flour blend, whereas in the headspace of sourdough samples ethyl-acetate, ethanol and acetic acid dominated. Two-stage sourdough after 30 min fermentation showed the highest sum of peak areas formed by 14 volatile compounds, resulting in substrates for further aroma development in bread. A total of 29 compounds were identified in the bread: in the crumb the dominant volatile compounds were alcohols, ketones, acids, but in the crust—alcohols, aldehydes, furans dominated. The use of two-stage sourdough provided a more diverse spectrum of volatile compounds. Such volatile compounds as ethanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-hydroxy-2-butanone, 2-methylpropanoic acid, and acetic acid were identified in all the analysed samples in all stages of bread making.

Malnutrition continues to be a key health problem in developing regions. The valorization of food waste appears as an ideal way to prevent malnutrition and improve people’s access to food. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) and caraway (Carum carvi L.) oilseeds are commonly used for cuisine and medicinal purposes. However, remaining cakes after oil extraction are usually underutilized. In order to assess the usefulness of these by-products in food applications, this study investigated the effect of their addition to protein bread formulations. Different levels (2, 4 and 6%) of whole seeds and cakes flour were used in the study. Fortified protein bread samples were compared to control protein bread and evaluated for their sensory, color, moisture, hardness properties, nutritional values as well as their biological activity. Results indicated that bread fortification shows a significant effect on bread properties depending on fortification level. A higher acceptability was observed specially for bread fortified with by-products flour. Increased tendencies of color darkness, moisture content, bread hardness, nutritional values as well as total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity compared to control bread were observed as the percentage of fortification increased in both cases. The overall results showed that the addition of cumin and caraway seeds and by-product flour can improve the antioxidant potential and overall quality of protein bread.

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of wheat bread fortification with varied levels (2%, 4%, and 6%) of chia seed powder (full fat) and cakes (defatted, residue after oil extraction). Chia flour was added to whole wheat bread rich in vital wheat gluten for the first time. The breadcrumbs were assessed for their antioxidant activity, nutritional content, textural properties, color, and sensory profiles. The addition of chia seed powder, particularly in high levels, was more effective in improving antioxidant activity compared to bread fortified with chia cakes. Bread supplementation with chia flour improves its nutritional value, especially in the case of chia cakes. A higher moisture content and lower hardness were observed after bread fortification, the influence was more evident with the defatted cake than with seed powder. Fortification with chia flour led to darker breads without significantly affecting their global acceptability. However, the fortified bread showed better values than control in terms of sensory profile. These results suggest that the addition of chia seed powder and defatted cake can enhance the overall whole wheat bread quality. Our results also highlight that bread making could be an unconventional alternative for the exploitation of defatted chia seed.

Horseradish contains many bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of various wall materials and their ratios on the physical properties and bioactive-compound retention and stability in microencapsulated horseradish leaf and root juices. Horseradish juice was microencapsulated using maltodextrin, maltodextrin/gum Arabic, soy protein isolate, and starch with three different core-to-wall ratios. The total phenolic, total flavonoid, total flavan-3-ol, and total phenolic-acid contents, as well as antioxidant activity, were determined using spectrophotometric methods, whereas individual phenol profiles were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Multivariate analysis of variance showed that plant material, wall material, and core-to-wall ratio had a significant effect on the bioactive-compound retention and antioxidant-activity preservation. Microcapsules produced from horseradish leaf juice had a significantly higher content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity compared to root-juice microcapsules. However, better retention was observed for microencapsulated horseradish root juice. Maltodextrin and maltodextrin/gum Arabic were the most effective wall materials for the retention of bioactive compounds, while they also had a smaller particle size and better solubility. The horseradish-juice microcapsules possess a high content of rutin. The highest stability of bioactive compounds after storage was found at a core-to-wall ratio of 20:80.

In recent years, edible insects have been suggested as an alternative food that is more sustainable compared with other sources of animal protein. However, knowledge about the sustainability aspects associated with this source of food may play a role in convincing consumers to adopt insects as part of their diet. In this context, the present study investigated the level of knowledge about the sustainability of edible insects in a group of people originating from 14 countries, with some naturally entomophagous and others not. To measure the knowledge, 11 items were selected and the scores obtained were tested with statistical tools (t-test for independent samples, analysis of variance—ANOVA) to search for differences according to sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, geographical origin, and consumption habits of edible insects. The obtained results showed that, in general, knowledge is moderate, with the values of the average scores for the 11 items investigated ranging from 0.23 ± 0.99 to 0.66 ± 1.02, on a scale ranging from −2 (=very low knowledge) to 2 (=very high knowledge). The highest scores were found for items relating to the lower use of animal feed and lower emission of greenhouse gases required for the production of insects compared with beef. When investigating the differences between groups of participants, significant differences were generally found, revealing a trend for higher knowledge among males and young adults, for participants residing in urban areas and in countries such as Spain, Mexico, and Poland, and for participants with higher education levels and higher incomes. When testing the influence of consumption variables on the level of knowledge, the results showed a higher knowledge for participants who had already consumed insects or are willing to consume them. Finally, it was observed that higher knowledge was found for participants whose motivation to consume insects related to curiosity, a wish to preserve the planet, the gastronomic characteristics of insects, and their nutritional value. In conclusion, these results clearly indicate a very marked influence of a number of variables on the knowledge about the sustainability of edible insects, and this may be helpful to delineate strategies to effectively raise knowledge and eventually increase the willingness to consider insects as a more sustainable alternative to partially replace other protein foods, even in countries where this is a not a traditional practice.