Comparison of nutritional and technological features of wheat bread fortified with amaranth flour

In contemporary food research, the incorporation of pseudocereals as new sources of proteins into food technology has attracted increasing scientific attention. Fortifying wheat flour with fat and bioactive substances enhances both the health benefits and organoleptic properties of bread and similar baked goods. Amaranth seeds and defatted cakes are rich in various bioactive compounds and can be used to supplement wheat flour, thereby improving its nutritional profile. The present research aims to assess and compare the effects of wheat bread fortification using 5% and 10% inclusion levels of full-fat amaranth seed powder and defatted cakes obtained from different genotypes. The composition of the amaranth flour, the rheological behavior of the dough, the technological parameters, and the sensory aspects of the obtained breads were characterized. The obtained results showed that adding amaranth flour to the bread improved both its nutritional value and shelf life, especially for the cake samples added with 10% of amaranth flour. The Panam genotype seemed to have the highest score (7.60) for the acceptability of bread added with 5% and 10% of amaranth cakes. The characterization of the obtained bread revealed higher moisture content and better nutritional values, and higher mineral and protein contents, compared to the control sample. The overall finding highlighted that defatted amaranth seeds can be effectively used in bread production as an innovative seed-valorization strategy in the bakery sector.