Effect of brown seaweed powder on physical and textural properties of wheat bread

This study addresses the effect of Fucus vesiculosus seaweed powder addition up to 8% (flour basis, f.b.) on wheat flour dough and bread properties. Rheological properties and proofing behaviour of dough and density, colour, and crumb texture of bread were determined. Compared to a typical wheat bread formulation, the addition of Fucus vesiculosus seaweed powder raised elongational dough viscosity, which was responsible for a lower porosity of dough at the end of proofing. The wheat dough consistency index (power law) increased from 6.6–22.1 10 −3 Pa s n with FV addition and the flow index values were low (0.24–0.29) showing a strong shear-thinning behaviour. Fucus vesiculosus seaweed powder addition significantly increased density from 0.23 g/cm 3 (≤2% f.b.) up to 0.40 g/cm 3 (8% f.b.), crumb firmness from ≈18 kPa (≤4% f.b.) up to 45 kPa (8% f.b.), and green colour of bread crust. The results showed that a maximum of (4% f.b.) Fucus vesiculosus seaweed powder could be added, without impairing the density and crumb texture of enriched breads.