Influence of oleaster powder on the quality of mechanically aerated yeast-free bread

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) powder, with and without the stone, on the quality of mechanically aerated yeast-free bread produced using mechanical dough aeration, deep-freezing of dough semi-finished products, and subsequent microwave thawing before baking. The study is relevant to the growing demand for bakery products with enhanced nutritional value and to advances in frozen dough technologies that reduce dough preparation time while ensuring consistent quality of the final products. The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of different levels of oleaster powder, with and without the stone, on the rheological, sensory, physicochemical, and nutritional properties of mechanically aerated yeast-free bread and to determine the optimum formulation. Modern analytical methods were employed, including the evaluation of dough rheological properties using the Mixolab and CT-2 Structurometer, sensory assessment, determination of physicochemical characteristics, chemical composition, vitamin and mineral contents, and mathematical modeling of the experimental data. The results demonstrated that incorporating oleaster powder improved the nutritional and biological value of bread, enhanced the structural–mechanical properties of the dough, and increased the contents of vitamins and minerals. The best overall performance was achieved with the formulation containing 20% stone-free oleaster powder, which provided the optimum combination of crumb porosity, specific volume, sensory quality, and chemical composition. The developed formulation and processing technology can be applied in the industrial production of functional bakery products and frozen mechanically aerated yeast-free dough semi-finished products.