Table 2.
Future of fermentation.
| Category | Compounds/elements | Findings | Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use of alternative ingredients | Prefermented bran with yeast and LAB | - Dietary fiber intake help to reduce the risk of non communicable diseases (109) - Fermentation improved loaf volume and crumb softness during storage (111) | - Addition of brans alters the dough gas retention capacity (decreased volume,) and can give a bitter taste (110) |
| Flour made from climate-resilient crops (CRCs) | - Help reduce the need for wheat flour and ensure food security worldwide (114) | - Alterations in bread properties (115–119, 148) - Need for optimization of the fermentation and breadmaking processes to optimize organoleptic qualities (114) | |
| Possible bioactives compounds | Production of EPS during sourdough fermentation | - Potential prebiotic effects in bread in preclinical studies (104, 182–186) | - Requires further investigation to identify safe EPS-producing LAB strains, optimal flours as substrates and fine-tuned fermentation and breadmaking processes (161) - Need for clinical trials to confirm the positive effects of EPS in bread on human health |
| SCFA (butyrate, propionate, acetate) producing LAB | - Contribute to maintain a healthy colon and protection of colorectal carcinogenesis - Potential beneficial effects on depression, autism, anxiety/stress (187) - SCFA implicated in autoimmune, allergic and metabolic diseases (188) | - Translating effects from animal to human studies limited by physiological and dietary differences and by the challenge of delivering enough SCFA to the target sites for observable effects (188) | |
| γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) producing LAB (165, 168) | - Physiological functions in humans: diuretic, anti-depressive, antioxidant and hypotensive (193) - Food rich in GABA could help in the regulation of sleeplessness, autonomic disorders, and depression (194–196) | Further research necessary to identify: - Safe strains, alone or in consortium, with high GABA yield - Fermentation parameters for optimal GABA production (197) | |
| EpiCor, mix of bioactive molecules produced in vitro by a S. cerevisiae | - Anti-inflammatory effect (199–201) - Antioxidant activity and biofilm inhibition capacity (202), antitoxin capacity with an impact in vivo on intestinal integrity (203) | - The same metabolites must be produced in dough and their effect confirmed after bread consumption in pre-clinical or clinical trials | |
| Synthetic microbial communities | Lactobacillus reuteri LTH5448, Weissella cibaria 10M and S. cerevisiae in Sorghum Sourdoughs | - Potential to enhance loaf volume, shelf-life and staling rate of GF bread (127) | |
| - L. plantarum maize sourdough + Baker's yeast (124) - L. brevis and/or L. paralimentarius pearl millet sourdough (125) | - The acidification brought by sourdough fermentation enhanced polysaccharide swelling, increased GF dough elasticity, better bread volume and delayed staling in GF bread (120, 123–125) | - Negative effects of sourdough fermentation on gluten free buckwheat dough and bread quality (126) |