Nutritional and sensory effects of germinated grain-based starter cultures in bread making

This research evaluates and focuses on nutritional, sensory acceptability, and the development of consumer-attractive functional bread products. The effects of cereal type on starter culture performance and bread quality were systematically investigated. It was evaluated the effects of cereal type (wheat: Ashehan, Global; oat: Ares) and germination duration (48, 72, 96 h) on carbohydrate, nutritional properties, and the sensory quality of bread produced with germinated flour starters. The grains were soaked, germinated, dried, and milled before bread preparation. In the prolonged germinated flour of this study 96 h germination significantly increased protein, energy, and mineral content, with the oat variety demonstrating superior nutritional enhancement compared to wheat. At 96 h of germination, Ares achieved optimal nutrient density, containing 19.26% protein, 359.99 kcal/100g energy, and higher mineral levels (calcium: 24.51 mg/100g; zinc: 1.85 mg/100g; iron: 2.44 mg/100g). In contrast, wheat varieties (Ashehan and Global) exhibited gradual protein (13.79–14.38%) and energy (328.03–331.49 kcal/100g) increases with extended germination, though carbohydrate content decreased (61.08–62.13%). Sensory analysis favored 72 h germination, which scored the highest in taste. While 96 h boosted minerals, 72 h offered the best balance of nutrition and flavor. These findings highlight the potential of germinated flours, particularly Ares in starter cultures, to produce nutrient enhanced and palatable breads. These findings revealed that germination duration and cereal type are critical levers for improving bread quality, with 72 h could offer a practical benchmark for further optimizing both nutrition and sensory appeal.