This study established the appropriate amounts of a functional Saskatoon berry fruit powder in fortified rye bread acceptable to consumers and determined the potential relative bioaccesibility of bioactive compounds exhibiting antioxidant activity, and enzymatic in vitro inhibitory activity against lipoxygenase, cyclooxigenase-1, cyclooxigenase-2, acetylcholinesterase, pancreatic lipase α-glucosidase, and α-amylase, as well as the relative digestibility of nutrients. The content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant capability were strongly, positively correlated with the content of the functional additive. The highest phenolics content and antioxidant activity were determined in the products enriched with the powders microencapsulated with maltodextrin (an increase by 91% and 53%, respectively, compared with the control). The highest overall acceptability was shown for the products with 3% addition of the functional additive, regardless of its type. The simulated in vitro digestion released phenols (with the highest bioaccessibility shown for anthocyanins) and enhanced the antioxidant activity of rye bread. In turn, the microencapsulation contributed to the improvement in the relative bioaccesibility of antioxidant compounds. Bread fortification led to an increased inhibitory activity against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipoxygenase. Furthermore, the additive microencapsulated with maltodextrin and inulin improved the capacity to inhibit the activities of pancreatic lipase and cyclooxigenase-2. The results presented allowed concluding that the powders from Saskatoon berry fruits, especially microencapsulated ones, may be a promising functional additive dedicated for the enrichment of rye bread.

The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that may afflict even 12% of the European population. One of the ways to counteract IBS-related ailments is to implement a diet with reduced contents of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs). The prevailing components from the FODMAPs group that may be found in rye bread include fructans. The study was conducted with endosperm and wholemeal rye flours. Dough was prepared from both flours with the use of two methods: I-stage method—with the addition of dry leavening—and II-stage method with the use of a sourdough produced with Lactobacillus plantarum, and all with fermentation times of 90, 120, 150, and 180 min. After baking, bread loaves were subjected to quality and consumer analysis and fructan content determination. The endosperm rye flour used for bread-making revealed better baking properties. Bread made of this flour had a higher loaf volume and received higher scores in the consumer assessment than bread made with wholemeal. Study results conclude that the content of fructans in bread was significantly affected by the dough-making method, and that it was decreased by the use of the sourdough. In contrast, the extended fermentation time of dough failed to reduce the fructan content of the bread.

The growing consumer awareness of functional foods has increased interest in fermented plant-based products with enhanced nutritional and health-promoting properties. This comprehensive narrative literature review examines the potential of diverse raw materials for tempeh production beyond traditional soybeans, analysing their nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and functional properties. A structured literature search was conducted on peer-reviewed publications up to July 2025, focusing on tempeh fermentation technology, chemical composition, and bioactive compounds from various substrates using recognised analytical methods according to Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) standards. The analysis of over 25 different substrates revealed significant opportunities for enhancing tempeh’s nutritional profile through alternative raw materials including legumes, cereals, algae, seeds, and agricultural by-products. Several substrates demonstrated superior nutritional characteristics compared with traditional soybean tempeh, notably tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) with exceptional protein content ((32–53% dry matter (DM)) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) exhibiting remarkably high polyphenol concentrations (137.53 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g DM). Fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus consistently achieved substantial reductions in anti-nutritional factors (64–67% decrease in trypsin inhibitors, up to 65% reduction in phytates) while maintaining consistent antioxidant activities (39–70% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition) across most variants. The diversity of bioactive compounds across different substrates demonstrates potential for developing targeted functional foods with specific health-promoting properties, supporting sustainable food system development through protein source diversification.