Techno-functional and nutritional performance of commercial breads available in Europe

Abstract

In recent years, the growing interest for well-being and healthy lifestyle together with an increasing awareness of the close relationship between food and health have boosted the production of an increasing number of novel goods to be placed in both gluten-containing and gluten-free products market. The objective of this study was to provide a realistic and detailed overview of the current bread-market supply in order to evaluate the overall quality of the available offer in this prioritized food industry area. Twenty commercial breads consisting of gluten (n = 10) and gluten-free (n = 10) samples currently available in the European market have been assessed by physical-chemical, technological, nutritional, and sensory determinations. The quality parameters obtained were related to each other by using Pearson correlations, while sample classification was achieved by applying factor analysis. Higher values for protein and bio-accessible polyphenols content, aroma and taste quality, and low and moderate expected glycaemic index corresponded to gluten containing breads. Although the main distinction was between gluten and gluten-free samples as it was expected, classification of breads allowed differentiating samples with different formulations in terms of presence/absence of alternative, innovative, and nutrient-dense raw materials.