Plasma-chemically activated water influence on staling and safety of sprouted bread

<p>The article reveals the research results of freshness and safety of sprouted wheat bread made with the use of water additionally treated with nonequilibrium low-temperature contact plasma. Prospects of the use of dispersion of wheat grain for the wholegrain bread production are shown which allow decreasing the grain raw materials loss along the food chain. The ways of prolongation of bread freshness during storage and slowdown of bread staling are analyzed. It is shown that in case of usage of plasma-chemically activated water in the technology wheat grain soaking duration decreases by 30%. The additional water treatment also promotes bread freshness prolongation up to two days. It is determined that water gets the characteristics relevant for the technology after 30–40 minutes of treatment with nonequilibrium low-temperature contact plasma. According to our findings, usage of plasma-chemically activated water provides slowdown of water migration and moisture loss by the crumb. It is determined that the usage of additional water treatment in the technology results in 17–60% increase in hydrophilic properties of the crumb and slows down their reduction during storage of sprouted wheat bread. Results of differential thermal analysis showed changes in various forms of moisture binding in the product during storage and increase in the part of adsorptionally bound moisture by 6–8%, when additional water treatment is used for grain soaking and dough making in sprouted wheat bread making technology. The rate of moisture removal from crumb of sprouted wheat bread made with the use of water subjected to nonequilibrium low-temperature contact plasma was determined through mathematical processing of data and construction of piecewise linear model. It is proved that safety level of usage of plasma-chemically activated water in sprouted wheat bread technology meets the requirements to the content of heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, copper, lead, cadmium, zinc, and mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone).<strong></strong></p>