Impact of NaCl reduction and replacement by calcium salts on bread quality

MARIA N BASSETT; ISABEL M.P.L.V.O. FERREIRA; OLIVIA PINHO

Uppsala

Conferencia; Attractive and Sustainable Food for Health. 28th EFFoST Conference. 7th Food Factory for the Future Conference; 2014

European Federation of Food Science & Technology (EFFoST)

The current interest in promoting a healthy diet encourages the design of foods that prevent diseases and cover specific nutritional requirements. Thus, reduction of salt intake and the fortification with beneficial minerals such as calcium is pertinent, as bread constitutes an important source of salt intake and its calcium contribution is low. The main objective of this study was to develop white bread with lower sodium chloride levels and higher calcium content, and to investigate whether it maintains quality traits that guarantee its acceptability by consumers. The impact of NaCl reduction and replacement by CaCl2 : CaCO3 (50:50) on dough and bread characteristics is addressed in this study. The wheat bread balls of this study were produced at pilot scale in an experimental laboratory. Three recipes of white bread were formulated with different percentage of NaCl substitution; all doughs had 1.8 g of total salts added per 100 g flour weight basis. Comparison was performed against control bread containing 1.8 g of NaCl per 100 g flour weight basis. Alveograph and farinograph results indicated that addition of calcium decreased dough extensibility, stretchability and stability time, keeping strong flour characteristics. This study shows that it is technologically possible to produce bread with 80% NaCl replacement with calcium salts. However, in terms of quality, it is suitable to reduce 50% NaCl for maintaining dough rheology parameters and bread quality characteristics. These studies at pilot scale indicate that industrial production of these breads is acceptable by consumers. Estimating a bread serving of 50 g, the calcium-fortified bread with 50% sodium reduction could cover 13.5 and 17.6% of the calcium recommended daily intake for schoolchildren and adults with added beneficial effect on health, due to salt reduction.