a b s t r a c tThis study investigated the effect of replacing wheat flour by whole Amaranthus cruentus flour (up to 40 g/100 g) to evaluate its potential utility as a nutritious breadmaking ingredient. The incorporation of amaranth flour significantly increased protein, lipid, ash, dietary fibre and mineral contents. Breads with amaranth have significantly higher amounts of phytates and lower myo-inositol phosphates, which could predict low mineral bioavailability at high levels of substitution (30e40 g/100 g). An increase in crumb hardness and elasticity was observed, and tristimulus colour values were significantly affected when the amaranth concentration was raised. Mineral contents, both micro-and macroelements, were increased significantly by the wheat flour substitution. Whole amaranth flour could be used as a partial replacement for wheat flour in bread formulations, increasing the product's nutritional value and raising dietary fibre, mineral and protein levels, with a significant slight depreciation in bread quality when used in proportions between 10 and 20 g/100 g. Thus, the inclusion of amaranth flour could be limited to a maximum proportion of 20 g/100 g, thereby maintaining both product quality as well as the nutritional benefit of this ingredient.

Bread fermented with the selected Bifidobacterium strains had similar technological and sensorial quality as the controls, resulting in breads with significantly lower (p < 0.05) levels of InsP(6) with residual amounts of myo-inositol triphosphates (InsP(3)). The fact that the phytate-degrading enzymes are produced by strains of bifidobacteria, which are GRAS/QPS (generally regarded as safe/qualified presumption of safety) microorganisms makes this strategy particularly suitable to reduce the content of InsP(6) in rich fiber products for human consumption.

Innovation, Spain (MICINN). The scholarship of J.M. Sanz Penella and the contract of 24 J.A. Tamayo Ramos from MICINN are greatly acknowledged. 25 2 ABSTRACT 26This investigation is aimed at developing a new cereal-based product, with increased 27 nutritional quality, by using Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum ATCC 27919 as starter 28 in whole wheat sourdough fermentation, and evaluating its performance. Four different 29 sourdough levels (5, 10, 15 and 20% on flour basis) in bread dough formulation were 30 analysed. The effects of the use of bifidobacteria in sourdough bread were comparatively 31 evaluated with controls (yeast and/or chemically acidified sourdough with antibiotics). 32The sourdough and dough fermentative parameters analysed were pH, total titratable 33 acidity, D/L-lactic and acetic acids. Bread performance was evaluated by specific 34 volume, slice shape, crumb structure and firmness, crust and crumb colour, pH, total 35 titratable acidity, and D/L-lactic and acetic acids, phytate and lower myo-inositol 36 phosphate contents. The sourdough breads showed similar technological quality to the 37 control sample, with the exception of specific bread volume (decreased from 2.46 to 2.22 38 mL/g) and crumb firmness (increased from 2.61 to 3.18 N). Sourdough inoculated with 39 bifidobacteria significantly increased the levels of organic acids in fermented dough and 40 bread. The Bifidobacterium strain contributed to the fermentation process, increasing 41 phytate hydrolysis during fermentation owing to the activation of endogenous cereal 42 phytase and its own phytase, resulting in bread with significantly lower phytate levels 43 (from 7.62 to 1.45 µmol/g of bread in dry matter). The inclusion of sourdough inoculated 44 with bifidobacteria made possible the formulation of whole wheat bread with positive 45 changes in starch thermal properties and a delay and decrease in amylopectin 46 retrogradation. 47 48 KEY WORDS: sourdough; Bifidobacterium; phytate-degrading enzyme; phytate; whole 49 wheat bread 50