Effect of Fermented Dough on the Organoleptic Quality and Shelf-Life of Bread

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the effect of fermented dough (sourdough) containing lactic acid bacteria on the organoleptic quality and shelf life of bread. Spontaneous fermentation of three commonly used wheat flours was carried out for 120 hours (5 days) at ambient temperature and 33°C. The average total lactic acid bacteria counts during dough fermentation were 2.0 x 10⁷, 1.8 x 10⁷, and 1.7 x 10⁷ cfu/g for flour A, B, and C fermented doughs, respectively. A total of seven Lactobacillus species were isolated: Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus pontis, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Percentage overall acceptance of the experimental bread samples was highest (79.00%) in the bread samples with 20% fermented dough concentration. The highest minimum mold-free shelf life was 8 days in both the 15% and 20% fermented dough bread as compared to the control bread baked with yeast and commercially purchased bread. Finally, the use of fermented dough in bread production was found to improve the sensory quality and shelf life of bread.