Publication
Authors
Wen Cong, former PhD Student, Department of Food Science and Technology (FST)
Edisson Tello, Professor, FST
Christopher T. Simons, Associate Professor, FST
Devin G. Peterson, Professor and Director of the Flavor Research and Education Center, FST
Quick Take
Break down the components of a healthy diet and you’ll probably find whole grains included among the essentials. Eating whole wheat bread can be a way to incorporate these whole grain nutrients into meals, serving as a hearty alternative to more refined breads.
But while the whole grains in wheat bread have been linked to many health benefits, from lowering weight gain to reducing heart disease, these loaves aren’t many consumers’ first choice because of one simple fact: whole wheat bread doesn’t taste great. Its flavor has been described as “musty,” “bitter,” or just plain “off.”
CFAES researchers wanted to identify the specific compounds that contribute to unpleasant taste in whole wheat bread. They tested 13 bread samples, analyzing the chemical makeup of each. They also conducted sensory taste tests, surveying consumers to see how they evaluated factors like flavor, aroma, color, and texture and how much they liked or disliked each sample.
Results
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After testing, the researchers were able to identify the three compounds that contributed most to whole wheat bread’s negative flavor. These compounds, which included pinellic acid, were derived from free fatty acids.
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Taste tests revealed that the least-liked bread sample contained each of these three compounds at high concentrations and confirmed that they contribute to the bitter taste of the whole wheat bread.
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The study showed that wheat bread made from flour that was aged, or stored for several months before being baked, developed more of these distasteful compounds compared with flour that was not aged.
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Flavor was important to consumers and more heavily associated with overall liking of the bread samples than factors like texture, color, or aroma.
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Researchers are continuing to study these compounds to further understand how they are being developed, and how whole wheat bread flavor can be improved.
Citation
Cong, W., Tello, E., Simons, C.T., Peterson, D.G. “Identification of Non-Volatile Compounds That Impact Flavor Disliking of Whole Wheat Bread Made with Aged Flours” Molecules, February 2022. Volume 27, No. 4, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041331