Optimizing the Addition of Functional Plant Extracts and Baking Conditions To Develop Acrylamide-Free Pita Bread

Abstract

The effects of using freeze-dried extracts (FDEs) of spearmint ( Mentha spicata), fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare), and turmeric ( Curcuma longa) as well as adjusting the baking temperature and time on acrylamide formation in pita bread were investigated to obtain the most acceptable conditions that produced the lowest acrylamide concentrations. A Box-Behnken design was adopted for optimization of the pita bread formulations by adding FDEs (3 to 25 g/100 g of wheat flour) and adjusting the baking temperature (200 to 300°C) and baking time (3 to 11 min), and the effects of these changes on color parameters, phytochemical attributes, and acrylamide concentrations were evaluated. Increasing the concentration of FDE and decreasing the baking temperature and time considerably decreased the acrylamide concentration in bread for all experimental trials. No acrylamide was detected in pita bread formulated with 25 g of mint FDE/100 g of wheat flour and baked at 250°C for 3 min, formulated with 25 g of mint or fennel FDE/100 g and baked at 300°C for 7 min, formulated with 3 g of mint, fennel, or turmeric FDE/100 g and baked at 200°C for 7 min, formulated with 14 g of mint FDE/100 g and baked at 300°C for 3 min, and formulated with 25 g of mint or fennel FDE/100 g and baked at 200°C for 7 min. Pita breads formulated with fennel and turmeric FDE were given high sensory scores.

Acrylamide in Bakery Products: A Review on Health Risks, Legal Regulations and Strategies to Reduce Its Formation

“…Different studies have reported on the effects of antioxidants such as ascorbyl palmitate, sodium ascorbate, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), vitamin E, sesamol, antioxidants from extracts of various spices and herbs such as oregano, cranberry, rosemary, cumin, anise, green tea, turmeric, ginger, etc. on acrylamide reduction in foodstuffs [2,23,[150][151][152][153]. Nowadays there is an increasing trend towards the use of natural antioxidants obtained from spices and herb extracts in food products, including bakery ones, to reduce the formation of AA in these foods due to the fact that the consumers are demanding natural foods without preservatives.…”

“…The addition of spices such as rosemary to wheat flour helps reduce the formation of AA when it is added to the dough before the heat treatment is applied [2]. Antioxidants such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, vitamins, and phenolic extracts from various spices (thyme, cumin and anise and so on), herb extracts (green tea, mint, fennel, turmeric) have been reported as inhibiting acrylamide formation [150][151][152]. One of the most used natural antioxidants in foodstuffs, including bakery ones, in order to reduce the AA content is rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), for which very good results have been reported.…”

Psyllium husk gel used as an alternative and more sustainable scalding technology for wheat bread quality improvement and acrylamide reduction

“…Additionally, acrylamide may be formed via deamination of 3-aminopropionamide or directly by azomethine ylide ( 87 , 88 ). Constituents of the flour play major roles in acrylamide formation, and acrylamide is formed in higher concentrations in bread manufactured with high extraction rate flours ( 89 ). For this reason, improving the functional value of bread by incorporating the outer layer of cereal dietary fiber becomes very challenging and, to overcome related difficulties, new ingredients such as psyllium husks can be very promising.…”