Comparative assessment of nutritive values and safety characteristics of bread sold in Bangladesh

Islam, M. F.; Ahsan, A.; Linkon, M. R.; Sarkar, A. K.; Satter, M. A.; Farhana, J. A.; Hossain, N.; Abedin, N.; Jabin, S. A.

Comparative assessment of nutritive values and safety characteristics of bread sold in Bangladesh

2021

Safe and good quality food products are essential to minimize human health risks and to facilitate business. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional quality and defects of bread produced in Bangladesh. A total of sixty different types of bread sold in Bangladesh were collected by stratified random sampling and categorized as Brand shop (A), Local shop (B), and Street shop (C) bread. The samples were assessed for their nutritive values, microbiological contaminations, aflatoxins, heavy metals content, and sensory attributes. Nutrient composition and microbial quality were analyzed by using standard methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and the American Public Health Association (APHA). High-Performance liquid chromatography method was used for aflatoxins determination. All categories of bread were low in macro and micronutrients (protein, fat, calcium, and iron) and high in sodium and alcoholic acidity. The heavy metals detected in bread (lead, cadmium, nickel and arsenic) were within the specification. Microbiological results showed that Salmonella spp. and Bacillus spp. were detected in many of the bread samples, whereas Escherichia coli and coliform were found in significant amounts in all categories of bread. Another important health concern that aflatoxins B₁ and B₂ were found in three bread samples of the local shops. In terms of sensory attributes, the brand shop bread had acquired the highest score for taste, texture, color, and overall acceptability. The study results showed that many of the bread samples were not suitable for healthy consumption, and special awareness should be taken for public health concern; it also warrants further research on safety and manufacturing practices of bread in Bangladesh.

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