APPROACHES TO REDUCING STALING AND MICROBIOLOGICAL SPOILAGE OF BAKERY PRODUCTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31073/foodresources2026-26-10Keywords:
bakery productsAbstract
Subject. Bakery products are among the most common food products, but their shelf life is limited by the rapid loss of freshness due to physicochemical and microbiological processes. The main reasons for the deterioration of quality during storage are starch retrogradation, moisture redistribution between the crumb and crust, crumb compaction, as well as microbiological spoilage in the form of mold and potato disease. In modern conditions, the development of technological solutions aimed at extending the freshness of bakery products without deteriorating their consumer properties, in accordance with the concept of sustainable development and reducing food losses, is of particular relevance. Purpose. Analysis of technological approaches to extending the freshness of bakery products and evaluation of the mechanisms of action of functional ingredients, food additives, enzyme preparations, technological parameters and packaging technologies. Methods. A complex of general scientific research methods was applied: analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization of scientific data and an abstract-logical approach. Results. It was found that the most effective directions for extending the freshness of bakery products can be grouped into four blocks. Regarding functional ingredients and food additives: hydrocolloids (guar and xanthan gums, CMC, HPMC, alginates, pectins, modified starches) increase moisture retention capacity and slow down amylopectin retrogradation; trehalose and protein hydrolysates are identified as promising anti-caking agents; emulsifiers (DATEM, SSL, lecithin, mono- and diglycerides) form amylose-lipid complexes that inhibit starch retrogradation. Regarding food additives: maltogenic α-amylase, xylanase, lipase/phospholipase and transglutamylase maintain crumb softness during storage; synergistic enzyme mixtures are superior in effect to individual preparations. Regarding technological measures: long cold fermentation, fermented semi-finished products (sponge, poolish), optimized baking temperature profile, partial baking and packaging technology. Regarding microbiological spoilage: calcium propionate and sorbates remain the main chemical preservatives; natural antimicrobial agents are an alternative in the “clean label” concept; UV-C irradiation and cold plasma are the latest non-thermal methods that extend the shelf life without deteriorating sensory parameters, repeated heat treatment. Scope of results. The results can be used in the development of bakery products with an extended shelf life, the design of resource-efficient technological solutions and the re-approval of recipes in the direction of the “clean label” concept.
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