Development of Organic Sourdough Bread with Germinated Seeds

In response to the growing demand for organic novel bakery products, this study primarily assessed the effect of incorporating fresh germinated seeds into sourdough bread on nutritional, technological, and sensory properties. The study envisaged assessment of type of water (water vs. “grape water”) on traditional sourdough and selection of seeds, based on germination percentage. Although numbers of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria differed between the two types of water, boosted sourdough (i.e., produced with “grape water”) showed similar performances as control sourdough (i.e., produced with water). Germinated seeds were singly used at 5% as fresh paste in bread containing boosted sourdough. Lentil bread (GL), wheat bread (GW), and control bread (without seeds) were compared. Germination did not affect specific volume, although GL and GW showed a higher percentage of gas cells area than the control. In addition, GL and GW received higher scores for taste and softness, respectively. GW and control bread could be labelled as “rich in fiber”, whereas GL as “source of fiber”. Additionally, GL contained more proteins and less lipids than the two other bread theses. Ongoing research is scaling-up the process to launch organic bread with higher nutritional value and peculiar sensory traits in the market.