Effect of the lentil flour and hydrocolloids on baking characteristics of wholemeal durum wheat bread

In this study, the characterisation of functional bread based on wholemeal durum wheat flour enriched with lentil flour was investigated to find a good balance between the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the final product. In particular, the effect of different percentage of lentil flour (10%, 20% and 25%) and the type and amount of structuring agents (carboxymethyl cellulose, guar seed flour, pectin and tapioca starch) were studied by assessing the sensorial, textural and nutritional properties of the functional bread. Results showed that the increase in the lentil flour at 20% and 25% negatively affected the dough texture and the sensorial quality of the bread. The screening of different hydrocolloids on the bread sample enriched with 25% of legume flour highlighted that the guar seed flour at concentration of 2% allowed obtaining the best results in terms of sensory properties. The nutritional analysis of the optimised functional bread showed an increase in proteins and dietary fibre (total, soluble and insoluble), suggesting its high functional value and the possibility to propose it on a market that is constantly changing and attentive to health benefit of foods.