Effect of fermented sprouted amaranth on quality characteristics of synbiotic wheat bread

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of using controlled fermentation of sprouted amaranth sourdough (SASD) on the techno-functional properties of synbiotic wheat bread. Based on the results obtained, the total titratable acidity of the produced sourdough stabilized after five successive back-slopping cycles, and the predominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from it. The antifungal activity of one of the predominant LAB isolate of this sourdough against Aspergillus flavus was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the other isolates; therefore, it was selected as the starter culture for controlled sourdough fermentation. Sequencing analysis of the PCR products identified the selected LAB isolate as Lacticaseibacillus casei. Texture analysis results showed that the sample containing SASD exhibited the lowest crumb hardness and the highest specific volume compared with wheat breads containing sprouted amaranth, amaranth flour and the control sample. The aforementioned sample also demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity (72.90%) and the lowest surface fungal growth (6.92%). In addition, the survival rate of the probiotic Bacillus coagulans after baking was significantly higher in the bread containing SASD than in the control sample. Based on these findings, controlled fermentation of SASD can be applied in the production of functional wheat bread.