Reduction of acrylamide in whole-wheat bread by combining lactobacilli and yeast fermentation

ABSTRACT

This study mainly focuses on a strategy for reducing acrylamide content in whole-wheat bread by combining lactobacilli and yeast in sourdough breadmaking. Combinations of sourdough (fermented dough using different Lactobacillus strains including Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC 1896 [probiotic], L. sakei DSM 20,017, L. rhamnosus DSM 20,021, and L. delbrueckii DSM 20,081) and yeast, in comparison with yeast alone, were used for breadmaking. The results showed that acrylamide levels in breads fermented using sourdough+yeast were in all cases much lower (6.9–20 μg/kg on a dry weight basis [d.b.]) than those in the yeast-only fermented bread (47.6 μg/kg d.b.). Significant (p < 0.05) correlations were also found between pH, total titratable acids (TTA) and lactic acid, and acrylamide content. Furthermore, the obtained results showed that the moisture content of dough directly influenced the formation of acrylamide in bread (r = 0.925, p < 0.0001). In addition, no significant correlations were observed between acrylamide content in breads and either the reducing sugar or free amino acid contents in dough samples. According to the different effects of Lactobacillus strains, it could be concluded that the acrylamide reducing potential of lactobacilli was strain-specific, with L. rhamnosus being the most effective. This suggests that sourdough fermentation with appropriate Lactobacillus strains can be used as an advantageous technology to reduce the acrylamide content of whole-wheat breads.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Acrylamide reduction
• sourdough fermentation
• whole-wheat bread
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus sakei
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus delbrueckii

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Isfahan University of Technology for the financial support provided.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was not Funded by any funding agency. This research is a part of the doctoral thesis conducted at Isfahan University of Technology by its financial support.