The aim of this study was to develop a concept of production for wheat bread enriched with chia seeds and to examine selected physicochemical properties. The examined product was wheat-flour bread made by a single-phase method, using yeast. The production concept assumed the modification of the recipe by replacing part of the wheat flour (1 or 5% w/w) with whole (CHw) or ground chia seeds (CHg). Bread quality was determined by calculating: dough yield, bread yield, baking loss, total baking loss and loaf volumes. Color was determined using the CIE L*a*b* system. In the texture analysis, the following texture parameters were measured: hardness, cohesion, chewiness and elasticity. The contents of crude fat, crude fiber, total protein, total ash and the total content of polyphenols were assessed to characterize the nutritive value of the bread. The breads with 1% addition of chia (1%CHw, 1%CHg) were characterized by the highest volume of loaves, which increased by at least 8.6% compared to the control bread (C), while in the case of 5% chia, the loaf volume depended on the form of seeds (better results were obtained with whole seeds). Substituting wheat flour with 1% chia seeds (whole or ground) resulted in a significant increase in nutritional value. For potential bread manufacturers, from a technological and economic point of view, replacing wheat flour with whole chia seeds at 1% (w/w) is most advantageous, compared to 5% (w/w).

This study aims to examine the effects of various drying methods, namely convective drying (CD), vacuum drying (VD), infrared drying (IRD), low-temperature vacuum drying (LTVD), and freeze-drying (FD), on the microstructure and in vitro bioaccessibility of red cabbage bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), total glucosinolate content (TGC), individual phenolic profile, and antioxidant potential (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) were examined experimentally in original and digested samples. Overall, SEM images of dried red cabbage showed more porous structures and minimal parenchyma deformation, enhancing bioactive compound bioaccessibility. Specifically, the bioaccessibility of TPC in IRD-dried samples was remarkably higher than that of FD- and LTVD-dried samples, although the latter two proved more TAC and TGC bioaccessible, respectively. Notably, hydroxycinnamic acids, such as ferulic and p-coumaric acids, markedly increased after digestion, especially in FD-dried samples. In vitro digestion revealed that CD-dried samples showed stronger DPPH and FRAP radical scavenging, whereas FD-dried samples had significantly higher ABTS scavenging activity. These findings suggest that LTVD and FD are the most suitable drying methods for red cabbage to enhance relevant bioactive compounds and, to some extent, antioxidant activity after digestion.

The impact of fava bean processing methods (soaking, autoclaving, fermentation) on a legume-based bars’ quality, protein characteristics, and digestibility was shown. The antioxidant and the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory capacity before and after in vitro digestion were investigated to reveal the potential advantages of fava bean usage for snacks. All bars have demonstrated high protein content, varying from 22.1 to 25.1 g/100 g DB. Based on the fermented fava beans of Pleurotus ostreatus, the samples were characterized by a higher concentration of essential amino acids by 8.6% and a reduction of tannins by 18.5% compared with bars based on soaked fava beans. Sensory evaluation improved the color, texture, and overall acceptability of the bars with fermented legumes. Various types of bean processing did not significantly affect the protein digestibility of the bars. The fermentation method positively affected the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory properties of bars and increased by 16.5% (before digestion) and 15% (after digestion) compared with other samples. After digestion, samples were characterized by a high level of Fe bioaccessibility (100, 83, and 79% for the bars based on soaked, autoclaved, and fermented fava beans, respectively) and increased total phenolic content. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of fava bean usage for snack products.

This study aims to assess the effect of powdered apple pomace on the technological characteristics of batter, and on the physicochemical and sensory quality characteristics of sponge cake. Apple pomace powder (10%, 25%, and 50 %) was introduced into the sponge cake formulation, where it replaced an equivalent amount of wheat flour. Assessment of the viscous properties of the composite flour has shown that the peak viscosity ranged from 330.00 to 731.00 Brabender units (BU) and its value decreased with an increase in the mass fraction of apple pomace powder. The gelatinisation temperature for the mixtures ranged 60.50–61.7°C and slightly decreased after adding by-products of apple processing. It has been found that the specific gravity of sponge cake batter increases when pomace powder is used (from 0.72±0.02c to 0.78±0.03d), which is due to the increase in the dietary fibre. The findings have shown that the volume of the cake samples containing apple pomace was smaller than that of the control sample (245.00±6.22 cm3), and the cake with 50% of apple pomace powder had the smallest volume (215.00±7.32cm3). The highest porosity was observed in the control cake sample (66.34±1.72%), while in the cake with 25 % of apple pomace powder, this parameter was 65.15±1.07%. The water absorption capacity of the control (312.60±3.15%) is the lowest compared with that of the cakes with apple pomace powder. Adding apple pomace resulted in a more intense brownish colour of the cakes and in the pleasant fresh apple taste. The semi-finished sponge cakes with 25% and 50% of apple pomace were characterised by an attractive brown colour, small-sized, properly distributed pores in the crumb, and high sensory characteristics. It can be concluded that powdered apple pomace can be successfully used as a functional and nutritionally valuable substitute for wheat flour, without a significant deterioration in the technological quality of products.

In recent years, it is a global trend of avoiding the use of synthetic ingredients for the food products quality enhancement. In this case it is actual task to search for the alternative natural raw materials, which provide the stabilization the products quality during storage. Due to their chemical composition, physiological and functional-technological properties the usage of herbs is a perspective solution of this problem. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of natural ingredients based on herbs (powder and extracts) on the rancidity retardation. The antioxidant effect of herb raw-materials (hop, chamomile, nettle) was studied for the low-moisture bakery products with high fat content. These products are the ideal type of “food on the go” with long term of storage, which characterized with increasing popularity among modern consumers. The study was conducted at the Odessa National Academy of Food Technologies labs. The peroxide value of samples was determined by iodometric method (ISO 3960:2017). The results revealed that addition of natural antioxidants to the bakery goods in comparison to products without additives reduced this indicator up to the 37…52 % for the samples with herbs. It has been determined that hop, chamomile and nettle incorporation have pronounced antiseptic properties also. The use of herbs in the low-moisture bakery products technology leads to the quality stabilization during their shelf life, improvement of nutritional value and it may be more attractive to consumers due to their natural origin.

Effect of flour made from waxy wheat on the structural–mechanical properties of dough for hardtacks without sugar