The effect of whey protein-based ingredients on the quality of bread was tested. Bread was supplemented with β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) enriched fractions, and the results were compared with bread manufactured with whey protein concentrate (WPC), α-lactalbumin (a-LA) fractions and high heat skim milk powder (HHSMP) as well as with bread baked without any dairy ingredients. Whey protein fractions were manufactured from sweet cheese whey or casein whey by means of membrane filtration techniques. α-Lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin were separated by chromatographic (HPA α-LA, HPA β-LG cas, dem) or alternatively by heat precipitation methods (Pearce α-LA, Pearce β-LG, R&B α-LA, R&B p-LG). All milk protein fractions tested were acceptable for baking bread. The best dough handling properties were achieved with high-heat skim milk powder (HHSMP), and the fractions rated good were HPA α-LA (cas), HPA α-LA (dem), HPA β-LG (cas) and R&B β-LG. Bread with significantly lower loaf volumes was produced with HPA α-LA (cas) and Pearce α-LA. Baking loss of bread was significantly higher in Pearce β-LG loaves than in HPA β-LG (cas, dem), HPA α-LA (cas, dem), WPC, and water bread loaves. Moreover, baking loss in HHSMP loaves was significantly higher than in HPA β-LG (dem), HPA α-LA (dem), WPC and water loaves.
Interest in buckwheat has incresed due to it being a valuable raw material for functional food production. It has been reported to have general beneficial effects on health.
Buckwheat competes well with weeds and suffers little from other pests. This may be because buckwheat contains allelopathic compounds and its cultivation was observed to reduce weed biomass. Its soil nutritional requirements are low.
