Fresh pasta (SP) was prepared by mixing semolina with liquid sourdough, whole wheat semolina based, and the effects of sourdough inclusion were evaluated against a control sample (CP) prepared using semolina and whole wheat semolina. Physicochemical, nutritional, and sensorial analyses were performed on pasteurized fresh pasta, before and after cooking. The optimum cooking time was not affected by whole wheat sourdough, whereas differences were found in color, firmness, and cooking loss. Changes of in vitro digested starch fractions in SP pasta were affected by a higher cooking loss. Overall, SP samples were characterized by improved nutraceutical features, namely higher content of free essential amino acids and phenolic compounds, lower phytic acid content, and higher antioxidant activity. Sensory analyses (acceptability and check-all-that-apply (CATA) tests) showed significantly higher scores for the SP, and the differences were enhanced when the consumers were informed about the product composition and how it was manufactured. Consumers checked for more positive sensory parameters for the SP than the CP.

The use of wholemeal flour and sourdough fermentation in different food matrices has received considerable attention in recent years due to its resulting health benefits. In this study, a semolina-based and a wholemeal semolina-based sourdough were prepared and added to the formulation of gnocchetti-type fresh pasta. Four types of gnocchetti were made, using semolina plus semolina-based sourdough (SS), semolina plus wholemeal semolina-based sourdough (SWS), semolina alone (S), and semolina plus wholemeal semolina (WS). The latter two were used as controls. The digestibility of starch was studied both in vitro and in vivo, and the glycemic response (GR) and glycemic load (GL) were determined. Starch digestibility, both in vivo and in vitro, was higher in wholemeal semolina than semolina pasta and the resulting GR values (mg dL⁻¹ min⁻¹) were also higher (2209 and 2277 for WS and SWS; 1584 and 1553 for S and SS, respectively). The use of sourdough significantly reduced the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content and increased the inaccessible digestible starch (IDS) content. The addition of sourdough to the formulation had no effect on the GR values, but led to a reduction of the GL of the pasta. These are the first data on the GR and GL of fresh pasta made with sourdough.

Surplus bread accounts for a significant proportion of food waste in many countries. The focus of this study was twofold: firstly, to investigate the use of carasau bread residue as a sourdough substrate, and secondly, to reuse this sourdough into a new carasau baking process. Selected lactic acid bacteria (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) and yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Wickerhamomyces anomalus) were used to inoculate three substrates: bread residue (S1), bread residue supplemented with durum wheat middlings (S2), and semolina (S3). Sourdoughs were refreshed for five days by backslopping, and microbiological and physicochemical analyses were performed. Results indicated that incorporating wheat middlings into bread residue enhanced microbial performance, as evidence by a decrease in pH from 6.0 to around 4.5 compared to using bread residue alone as a substrate. Carasau bread produced with the sourdough derived from bread residue and wheat middlings exhibited comparable physicochemical properties to commercial baker’s yeast carasau bread, but had better sensory properties, scoring a mean acceptability of 7.0 versus 6.0 for baker’s yeast bread. These results show that bread residue supplemented with wheat middlings can serve as a sourdough substrate, allowing its reuse in the baking process to produce high-quality carasau bread and promote the circular economy.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the acceptability, sensory profile, and physicochemical properties of craft beers produced with unmalted old Sardinian durum (Trigu Murru, Trigu Moru) and soft (Tricu Cossu, Trigu Denti de Cani) wheat varieties. Chemical analysis, by GC-MS, and sensory analysis conducted through a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questionnaire, modified Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA), and an acceptability test were performed. The beer brewed with Tricu Cossu received the highest overall liking, characterized by pronounced honey aroma, sweet taste, and cereal notes, supported by a balanced volatile composition. Trigu Denti de Cani also achieved high acceptability, with a profile combining honey and cereal notes, moderate bitterness, and a clean finish. Trigu Murru presented intense cereal and honey notes but was penalized by lower scores in other sensory dimensions, leading to reduced consumer acceptance. Trigu Moru exhibited the lowest liking, dominated by bitter and astringent sensations, though potentially appealing to consumers seeking robust and intense flavor profiles. Multivariate analysis confirmed these sensory-based distinctions, linking each wheat variety to a specific volatile pattern and sensory identity. The multivariate analysis performed on the volatile compounds detected confirmed the differences found with the sensory analysis.

Wheat milling by-products are nutrient-rich sidestreams whose valorization is limited by low phenolic bioaccessibility and high phytate levels. This study investigates how sourdough fermentation using a mixed starter (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus) modulates the functional properties of whole wheat germ (WWG), defatted wheat germ (DWG), defatted wheat bran (DWB), and wheat middlings (WMs), tested alone or blended with 20% semolina. Fermentation performed shifts in a substrate-dependent manner: it reduced phytic acid content by up to 60% in WWG and WMs while increasing free amino nitrogen (FAN) up to 2.6 mg/g d.b. Conversely, defatted matrices (DWG and DWB) exhibited structural resistance, showing stagnation in both phytate degradation and FAN accumulation, likely due to industrial hexane-treatment limitations. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) assessed via the extraction-free QUENCHER method revealed that conventional solvent extraction underestimates the bioactive potential by 40–60%. Fermentation significantly enhanced radical-scavenging activity across all matrices. However, ferric-reducing power (FRAP) increased exclusively in WWG and WMs (up to 18–19 µmol Fe (II)E/g d.b.), proving strictly dependent on phytic acid degradation. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a clear trend toward convergence in the functional profiles of heterogeneous matrices during long-term bioprocessing. Controlled sourdough fermentation represents an effective strategy to upcycle specific cereal sidestreams into functional ingredients, though industrial defatting constraints require structural optimization.

Wheat germ is a nutrient-rich cereal by-product with potential for valorization through fermentation. This study employed ¹H NMR metabolomics to characterize the soluble metabolomic profiles of whole soft wheat germ (WWG) and industrially defatted durum wheat germ (DWG), with or without 20% semolina supplementation, fermented using a defined mixed starter culture. Samples were analyzed before fermentation (T0) and after sourdough propagation (TF). Metabolomic data were evaluated through exploratory multivariate analysis, metabolite-level comparisons, and Consensus Pathway Analysis (CPA), a framework integrating metabolite coverage, contrast magnitude, network topology, and reference-framework representation. WWG-based systems exhibited broader fermentation-associated metabolite redistribution than DWG-based systems, particularly involving carbohydrates, organic acids, and fermentation products. CPA highlighted pathway associations related to central carbon metabolism and amino acid- and nitrogen-related processes. Differences between WWG- and DWG-based formulations persisted throughout fermentation, while semolina supplementation was associated with distinct responses in the two wheat-germ matrices, which is consistent with matrix-dependent metabolomic patterns. Because each formulation was represented by a single fermentation experiment, the findings should be regarded as exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than statistically generalizable. Nevertheless, CPA provided a structured approach for organizing metabolomic observations and identifying candidate biochemical relationships for future investigation. Overall, this proof-of-concept study suggests that wheat-germ matrix characteristics may contribute to shaping fermentation-associated metabolomic profiles and provides a framework for future studies on the biotechnological valorization of wheat-germ processing fractions.