Investigation the effects of Pistacia Aatlantica fruit powder aqueous extract on the quality and staling attributes of loaf bread

Background and objectives: Bread is the primary staple diet food for most people worldwide, and enriching this foodstuff contributes to the overall health of the population. Bread consumed in various regions of the world is abundant in carbohydrates and protein, but it often lacks adequate amounts of other essential nutrients such as dietary fibers, unsaturated fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. Utilizing natural plant resources is an efficient method to enhance the nutritional content, increase the structure and qualitative features, and prolong the shelf life of bread, particularly breads manufactured from flour with a low extraction percentage. The fruit of Pistacia Atlantica is a valuable fatty fruit that is abundant in nutrients such as protein, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial biological substances. Due to these properties, it has been considered for inclusion in food products. The current study was conducted to explore the potential of utilizing Pistacia Aatlantica fruit to enrich and prolong the shelf life of loaf bread.
Materials and methods: In this research, 2, 4, and 6% of the Pistacia Aatlantica Fruit Powder Aqueous Extract (PAFPAP) were used in 2 forms including adding to the dough formula and glazing with 1 and 2% of sodium alginate hydrocolloid in the production of loaf bread. To assess the impact of using Pistacia Aatlantica fruit on product characteristics, various parameters including pH, volume increase in the oven, fat content, color, and sensory attributes were examined. The moisture content, total phenols, texture, and thermal properties of bread were examined both after baking and on the third and seventh days of storage to assess the alterations in the bread's shelf life.
Results: Utilizing PAFPAP and sodium alginate hydrocolloid led to enhance of moisture retention, increase in texture softness, and delay in bread staleness. Furthermore, the levels of fat and phenolic compounds in breads fortified with PAFPAP exhibited a substantial increase. Specifically, the breads with the highest concentration of PAFPAP displayed the highest fat content and these treatments also elevated levels of phenolic compounds after the storage period. Based on the sensory evaluation results, the using of PAFPAP in some treatments resulted in a darker color of the bread and a loss in taste score. However, it led to an improvement in chewability, softness of the texture, and consequently, an increase in the texture score of the bread. The sensory acceptance of the produced breads was deemed good, as indicated by the acceptability index values of all treatments, which were over 70.
conclusion: The low extraction percentage of flour used in making loaf breads reduces their nutritional value and accelerates their staleness. Therefore, using plant resources like the Pistacia Aatlantica fruit could be an effective technique for improving the quality and shelf life of the product. The results of the present research show that incorporating PAFPAP with sodium alginate in the production of loaf bread enhances its quality, increases its nutritional value, and reduces rate of staleness.