Investigating effective variables to produce desirable aroma in sourdough using e‐nose and sensory panel

Abstract

The present study introduces a procedure for designing a sourdough with a desirable aroma to promote the acceptability of sourdough bread’s flavor. Different combinations of the most common flours and microbial species in sourdough fermentation were designed using the D‐optimal algorithm and evaluated by panelists. We selected a combination of rye, barley, and oat (1:1:1) fermented by co‐culture of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Kluyveromyces marxianus. Also, we presented a novel method for choosing the most effective factors on the aroma intensity using an electronic nose (e‐nose) system via singular value decomposition method. The effect of fermentation conditions (i.e., time, temperature, and dough yield), amino acids (phenylalanine, leucine, and asparagine), sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and sorbitol), and enrichment by other parts of the grain (starch, embryo, and bran) were examined. Reducing temperature and increasing DY and time lead to producing stronger aroma in selected sourdough. Overall, fructose, phenylalanine, and bran among studied ingredients showed the highest impact on the intensity of aroma. Practical applications Improving the flavor is among the most challenging issues facing food manufacturers. The use of sourdough in the bread industry is a traditional method and has recently gained popularity among producers and consumers as it can improve texture, shelf life, and nutritional value. However, the fermentation process does not always lead to the desired flavor. Therefore, to solve this problem, an extensive study in flours and microbial strains widely used in sourdough production was conducted and the best combination was proposed. This product is a suitable alternative to chemical flavors. For future studies, the strategy proposed for detecting the most effective factors in aroma generation using an e‐nose can be used for flavor improvement in other food products.

Recent Progress in Electronic Noses for Fermented Foods and Beverages Applications

“…Bread and bakery products can be considered a group of alcoholic fermentation products. There are many key aroma compounds, such as acetaldehyde, methanol, 1-propanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol that can be used for the identification of bread freshness [129][130][131][132][133]. However, the challenge of the E-nose is still the quantitative identification of VOCs.…”