Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

A shift from animal protein towards plant-based sources of protein could, at the same time, help to enhance the nutritional quality of food and reduce negative climate impacts from agriculture. Faba beans (Vicia Faba) is a legume crop, rich in protein, fibres and minerals. It can be cultivated in cooler climates, making it especially interesting from a Swedish agricultural perspective. The incorporation of faba beans into bread, a staple in our diet, could make legumes easily accessible and thus ease a shift to plant-based proteins. The current study aims to investigate how faba bean in the form of a concentrate (65% protein) could be incorporated into bread formulas to enhance the protein levels of bread. For this purpose, varying levels of faba bean concentrate (0, 5, 10 and 15%) replaced wheat flour in a white bread formula (refined wheat, water, sugar, oil and salt). The moisture content, specific volume, colour, texture and sensory profile were assessed to examine possible alterations in bread quality.
The bread substituted with 15% faba bean- concentrate was calculated to reach a sufficient level of protein for the health claim “high in protein” (20.5–21.6 E%). Regarding physicochemical parameters, only the crust colour differed significantly (p<0.05) from the control bread. A preliminary sensory evaluation involving untrained panellists (n=40) indicated that the faba bean bread was acceptable even at the highest level of substitution (15%). However, the sensory evaluation suggested a reduced overall acceptance and the presence of off-flavours in faba bean enriched bread. In future studies, one could further increase the level of faba beans and investigate how additives could be used to enhance shelf-life, texture and reduce off-flavours.