Academic Journal
View in EDS

Designing antioxidant-rich functional breads: The role of fruit and vegetable fortification and sourdough fermentation.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Designing antioxidant-rich functional breads: The role of fruit and vegetable fortification and sourdough fermentation.
Authors: Plessas S; Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Microbiology and Hygiene, Department of Agriculture Development, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200, Orestiada, Greece. Electronic address: splessas@agro.duth.gr.
Source: International journal of food microbiology [Int J Food Microbiol] 2026 Oct 02; Vol. 459, pp. 111921. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 22.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Review
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Elsevier Science Publishers Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 8412849 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-3460 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01681605 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Food Microbiol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Amsterdam : Elsevier Science Publishers, c1984-
MeSH Terms: Bread*/analysis , Bread*/microbiology , Antioxidants*/analysis , Antioxidants*/metabolism , Vegetables*/chemistry , Vegetables*/metabolism , Fruit*/chemistry , Fruit*/metabolism , Food, Fortified*/analysis, Fermentation ; Humans
Abstract: Bread fortification with fruit- and vegetable-derived ingredients has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the antioxidant potential of a widely consumed staple food. However, increases in total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro radical-scavenging activity do not necessarily indicate improved physiological antioxidant delivery. This review examines fruit- and vegetable-fortified breads as carriers of antioxidants, with emphasis on bioaccessibility, processing-induced transformations, and the role of sourdough fermentation as a modulatory bioprocess. Current evidence on how ingredient form (e.g., juice, powder, pomace, peel), cereal matrix interactions, fermentation conditions, and baking parameters influence the release, transformation, stability, and gastrointestinal accessibility of phytochemicals are addressed. Particular attention is given to the distinction between antioxidant content, extractability, bioaccessibility, and bioefficacy, as well as to methodological limitations associated with common spectrophotometric assays. Sourdough fermentation is discussed as an enabling factor that can enhance antioxidant delivery through acidification, enzymatic hydrolysis, structural modification of cereal polymers, and microbial biotransformation of phytochemicals, while also interacting with technological and sensory quality. Finally, key research gaps are identified, including the need for harmonized analytical protocols, compound-specific tracking after digestion, and translational/clinical validation of functional claims. This review proposes an integrated framework for the development and evaluation of antioxidant-enriched breads with improved functional relevance.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Antioxidants; Bioaccessibility; Bread; Fortification; Fruit; LAB; Phenolics; Sourdough fermentation; Vegetable
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Antioxidants)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260622 Date Completed: 20260711 Latest Revision: 20260711
Update Code: 20260712
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111921
PMID: 42330789
Database: MEDLINE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111921?
    Name: ScienceDirect (all content) (s7799221)
    Category: fullText
    Text: View record from ScienceDirect
    MouseOverText: View record from ScienceDirect
  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:cmedm&genre=article&issn=18793460&ISBN=&volume=459&issue=&date=20261002&spage=111921&pages=111921&title=International journal of food microbiology&atitle=Designing%20antioxidant-rich%20functional%20breads%3A%20The%20role%20of%20fruit%20and%20vegetable%20fortification%20and%20sourdough%20fermentation.&aulast=Plessas%20S&id=DOI:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111921
    Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
Header DbId: cmedm
DbLabel: MEDLINE
An: 42330789
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Designing antioxidant-rich functional breads: The role of fruit and vegetable fortification and sourdough fermentation.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Plessas+S%22">Plessas S</searchLink>; Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Microbiology and Hygiene, Department of Agriculture Development, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200, Orestiada, Greece. Electronic address: splessas@agro.duth.gr.
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%228412849%22">International journal of food microbiology</searchLink> [Int J Food Microbiol] 2026 Oct 02; Vol. 459, pp. 111921. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Jun 22.
– Name: TypePub
  Label: Publication Type
  Group: TypPub
  Data: Journal Article; Review
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Journal Info
  Group: Src
  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Elsevier+Science+Publishers%22">Elsevier Science Publishers </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>Netherlands <i>NLM ID: </i>8412849 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1879-3460 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2201681605%22">01681605 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Int J Food Microbiol <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
– Name: PublisherInfo
  Label: Imprint Name(s)
  Group: PubInfo
  Data: <i>Original Publication</i>: Amsterdam : Elsevier Science Publishers, c1984-
– Name: SubjectMESH
  Label: MeSH Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Bread%22">Bread*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Bread+analysis%22">analysis</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Bread%22">Bread*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Bread+microbiology%22">microbiology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Antioxidants%22">Antioxidants*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Antioxidants+analysis%22">analysis</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Antioxidants%22">Antioxidants*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Antioxidants+metabolism%22">metabolism</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Vegetables%22">Vegetables*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Vegetables+chemistry%22">chemistry</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Vegetables%22">Vegetables*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Vegetables+metabolism%22">metabolism</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fruit%22">Fruit*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fruit+chemistry%22">chemistry</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fruit%22">Fruit*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Fruit+metabolism%22">metabolism</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Food%2C+Fortified%22">Food, Fortified*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Food%2C+Fortified+analysis%22">analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Fermentation%22">Fermentation</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Bread fortification with fruit- and vegetable-derived ingredients has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the antioxidant potential of a widely consumed staple food. However, increases in total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro radical-scavenging activity do not necessarily indicate improved physiological antioxidant delivery. This review examines fruit- and vegetable-fortified breads as carriers of antioxidants, with emphasis on bioaccessibility, processing-induced transformations, and the role of sourdough fermentation as a modulatory bioprocess. Current evidence on how ingredient form (e.g., juice, powder, pomace, peel), cereal matrix interactions, fermentation conditions, and baking parameters influence the release, transformation, stability, and gastrointestinal accessibility of phytochemicals are addressed. Particular attention is given to the distinction between antioxidant content, extractability, bioaccessibility, and bioefficacy, as well as to methodological limitations associated with common spectrophotometric assays. Sourdough fermentation is discussed as an enabling factor that can enhance antioxidant delivery through acidification, enzymatic hydrolysis, structural modification of cereal polymers, and microbial biotransformation of phytochemicals, while also interacting with technological and sensory quality. Finally, key research gaps are identified, including the need for harmonized analytical protocols, compound-specific tracking after digestion, and translational/clinical validation of functional claims. This review proposes an integrated framework for the development and evaluation of antioxidant-enriched breads with improved functional relevance.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Competing Interests
  Group: Ab
  Data: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
– Name: SubjectMinor
  Label: Contributed Indexing
  Group:
  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Antioxidants; Bioaccessibility; Bread; Fortification; Fruit; LAB; Phenolics; Sourdough fermentation; Vegetable
– Name: NumberCAS
  Label: Substance Nomenclature
  Group: ID
  Data: 0 (Antioxidants)
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date(s)
  Group: Date
  Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260622 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260711 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260711
– Name: DateUpdate
  Label: Update Code
  Group: Date
  Data: 20260712
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111921
– Name: AN
  Label: PMID
  Group: ID
  Data: 42330789
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=cmedm&AN=42330789
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111921
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        StartPage: 111921
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Fermentation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humans
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bread analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bread microbiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Antioxidants analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Antioxidants metabolism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vegetables chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vegetables metabolism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fruit chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fruit metabolism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food, Fortified analysis
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Designing antioxidant-rich functional breads: The role of fruit and vegetable fortification and sourdough fermentation.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Plessas S
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 02
              M: 10
              Text: 2026 Oct 02
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1879-3460
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 459
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International journal of food microbiology
              Type: main
ResultId 1