Fermentation as a tool to improve healthy properties of bread

The current market trend is clearly moving toward tastier breads. With the industrialization of bakeries, the electromechanical technician became the key person ensuring that the automatic lines would be as operational as possible. Unskilled bakers were sought, and untrained people were hired to perform the work. Returning to traditional fermentation in the industry can only be successful if it is linked to an investment in skilled people (Decock and Cappelle, 2005). Thus, the sourdough production previously practiced with baker’s yeast will disappear from bakeries and sourdough will be produced by specialized companies supplying stabilized or dried sourdough products to the bakery industry. The traditions are being maintained by artisan bakers who believe that the culture of their mother dough guaranties a superior quality and that the greater value of their end product can be appreciated. This tradition should be encouraged as a source of microbial biodiversity. Moreover, the industrialization of the process should enhance and standardize the functional properties associated with sourdough fermentation. The improvement and standardization of the process require specific and scientific selection of microbial strains suitable to predominate under the various process conditions and cereal types. In addition to these technological attributes, the strains must be selected on the basis of their ability to produce polyphenols, EPS, acidifying power, and vitamins. Only these individual attributes can confer nutritional added value to bakery products and compensate the high costs of the sourdough process management. At the same time, this approach allows for the production of functional cereal-based products with features that correspond to the promised health claims.