Physicochemical, Quality, Antioxidant and Sensory Attributes of Innovative Functional White Pan Bread Manufactured from Wheat Flour Fortified with Broccoli Plant Parts

Innovative aliments obtained upon integration of plant-based ingredients for producing nutraceutical-enriched functional food under the perspective of sustainable management have been drawing increasing importance within the scientific community. Research was conducted to evaluate the effects of the addition of broccoli plant part powder (stalks and inflorescences) at different concentrations (3%, 5% and 10%) into dough on textural, porosity, quality, antioxidant and sensory characteristics of ‘White Pan Bread’. The rising addition (from 3 to 10%) of broccoli stalks and inflorescences into ‘White Pan Bread’ led to a gradual decrease in most textural properties and color components of dough, crumb and crust, as well as dry matter and water activity. Contrary, mineral substances, pH, acidity, and the antioxidant compounds and activities showed increasing trend. Among the sensory features, the scores of general bread aspect as well as crumb texture, structure, aeration, sweetness and aroma aspects decreased with the increasing broccoli powder integration. The latter augmentation fostered crust and crumb flexibility, freshness, sulfur, cruciferous and plant notes. Overall, manufacturing broccoli-enriched bread allows to create a novel functional aliment with less crumb softness and color intensity, importantly characterized by enhanced mineral and bioactive properties within the sustainability framework.