Seaweed extract as an effective dough conditioner in bread manufacturing

Abstract

Sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) contains many functional components that can influence the dough and bread matrix. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a liquid extract obtained from sugar kelp as a dough conditioner. The study employs a central composite design to investigate the interactions among three factors: an untreated extract, a heat-treated extract (targeting heat-sensitive components), and the presence of NaCl (natively abundant in kelp and potentially masking other functional components). The objective is to uncover the influences of the potential functional components and determine whether the liquid extract can function as a dough conditioner. The response surface methodology was used to analyze the impact on several volume and texture measurements and determine an optimal formula. A mixture of the heat-treated extract and untreated extract at different concentrations significantly enhanced loaf height and resilience while firmness decreased, compared to the conventional bread. The results show that a liquid extract obtained from sugar kelp can function as an effective dough conditioner in wheat bread.