Assessment of the Application Possibilities of Dried Walnut Leaves (Juglans regia L.) in the Production of Wheat Bread

Abstract

The main aim of this work was to assess the possibility of using dried walnut leaves (Juglans regia L.) in the production of wheat bread. In the developed recipe, wheat flour was partially replaced with dried and powdered walnut leaves (WLs) in amounts of 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%. Serving as a control sample was wheat bread without WLs. The bread was made using a single-phase method using yeast. As part of the research methodology, laboratory baking parameters (dough yield, total oven loss, bread yield), loaf volume and loaf specific volume were determined. Additionally, the colors of the dough, crust and bread crumb were determined in the CIE L*a*b* space. The crumb texture profile was assessed using the TPA test. Additionally, the antioxidant power and the total phenolic content of the dough and bread were tested. The consumer acceptability of the sensory features of the bread was also assessed. The test results were statistically analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. It was found that enriching the bread recipe with WLs had a significant impact on its quality. The control bread had the highest volume, and replacing wheat flour with dried leaves resulted in a significant reduction in volume, which was greater at higher WLs contents. Similarly, as the proportion of WLs in the recipe increased, a significant decrease in the brightness of both the dough and the crumb of the obtained bread was observed. A texture analysis showed that bread with a WLs content of 2.5% was the most different from the control bread and other tested breads. However, it was found that enriching bread with the unconventional addition of walnut leaves had a very good effect on its health benefits. The antioxidant activity and the content of total phenolics in the bread grew with the increase in the share of WLs in the recipe.