Optimization of beta-glucan and water content in fortified wheat bread using Response Surface Methodology according to staling kinetics

- Models created to optimize the BG and water content in the bread with high quality traits.
- Optimal BG addition of 1.24% with 63.48% water in order to achieve a final product with best quality.
- Optimized content could prevent staling in terms of enthalpy and firmness of bread up to 7 days.

The aim of our research is to optimize the BG and water content to obtain bread with high-quality attributes and then examine it in terms of staling, comparing it to a control wheat bread. To find the behavior of variables by means of surface plots, the models created in this study were utilized for modeling purposes, using point prediction post analysis to optimize the BG and water content in the bread, which could be stored, while maintaining high-quality traits. Using the central composite rotational design, we developed an optimal BG addition of 1.24% with 63.48% water to achieve a final product with minimum firmness value and maximum porosity, springiness, and beta-glucan content. The analysis of the staling kinetics of bread fortified with BG revealed this optimized content could prevent staling in enthalpy and firmness of bread, even up to 7 days of storage.