Tetraselmis chuii as a Sustainable and Healthy Ingredient to Produce Gluten-Free Bread: Impact on Structure, Colour and Bioactivity
Maria Cristiana Nunes, Isabel Fernandes, Inês Conde Vasco, Isabel Sousa, Anabela Raymundo
Abstract
The objective of this work is to increase the nutritional quality of gluten-free (GF) bread by addition of Tetraselmis chuii microalgal biomass, a sustainable source of protein and bioactive compounds. The impact of different levels of T. chuii (0%—Control, 1%, 2% and 4% w/w) on the GF doughs and breads’ structure was studied. Microdough-Lab mixing tests and oscillatory rheology were conducted to evaluate the dough´s structure. Physical properties of the loaves, total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP) of the bread extracts were assessed. For the low additions of T. chuii (1% and 2%), a destabilising effect is noticed, expressed by lower dough viscoelastic functions (G’ and G’’) and poor baking results. At the higher level (4%) of microalgal addition, there was a structure recovery with bread volume increase and a decrease in crumb firmness. Moreover, 4% T. chuii bread presented higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity when compared to control. Bread with 4% T. chuii seems particularly interesting since a significant increase in the bioactivity and an innovative green appearance was achieved, with a low impact on technological performance, but with lower sensory scores.