Rye bread is a highly prized type of bread that is characterized by a solid, dense environment, prolonged freshness and sour, aromatic taste and dark color. In the world, commercial bakeries produce a variety of rye breads that reflect the different requirements of local consumers. They are mainly characteristic of countries with colder and wetter climates such as Germany, Scandinavian countries, Russia, … They are produced from rye mill products (rye flours of various degrees of exchange, rye groats, whole grain flour), most often in a mixture with wheat flour. The main difference between rye flour and wheat flour is that rye proteins cannot swell in water to create a three-dimensional network like wheat gluten so they cannot form the structure of the dough. Rye flour contains a greater amount of fiber (pentosans) that have a pronounced ability to bind water and an important role in the formation of the structure of rye dough. As a result, rye breads are characterized by a small volume and a dense, poorly developed, moist and inelastic environment.

The nutritional value of rye breads is different from wheat breads and consumers perceive rye bread as healthier. Rye breads are an important part of the Nordic diet, a lesser-known form of healthy eating but just as effective as mediterranean ones. Rye contains a larger amount of fiber that is more evenly distributed in rye grain compared to wheat grain. Rye fibers consist of arabinoxylan, cellulose, b-glucan, fructan and lignan. Rye also contains a higher protein content, so rye products can be viewed in the light of potential environmentally sustainable protein sources. Also, rye is very rich in the content of numerous bioactive compounds with a proven individual or synergistic health effect. Among the most famous phytochemicals of rye are lignans, alkylrezorcinols and benzoxazinoids. The health effects of rye that have been recorded in scientific studies include a positive effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of tumors, especially colorectal. These effects can be associated with the positive effect of the consumption of rye products, especially those from whole grains, on improving glucose and insulin metabolism, reducing inflammatory processes and the content of blood lipids, but the exact mechanisms of action have not yet been fully disclosed. It is best documented and confirmed the beneficial effect of rye products on the work of the digestive organs thanks to the high content of indigestible and digestible fibers that bind water and digestive juices in the body and have the ability to cleanse the body of harmful substances. Also, regular consumption of rye products increases the feeling of satiety and has a beneficial effect on controlling appetite and maintaining body weight.

Lovers of good rye bread can be recommended rye bread produced from the finished mixture for bakery products “Rye CL” company PIP d.o.o. from Novi Sad. The mixture contains 75% rye flour (in relation to the total amount of flour), wheat flour T-500, malt mixture, dry wheat sauerkraut, salt and enzymes. This special mixture of flour and malt, after baking, gives bread a harmonious aroma and slightly emphasized sour-salty taste, good volume, pleasantly solid and beautifully connected environment, pronounced and uniform light brown color with well-developed pores. The bread is characterized by a juicy, compact medium of prolonged freshness that is smoothly cut and does not crumble when smearing (Figure 1). It is suitable for toasting.

Figure 1 Rye bread produced from the ready-made mixture “Rye CL”

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the changes in the texture properties of the medium of rye bread produced from the ready-made rye CL mixture during 3 days of storage at ambient temperature, compared to the middle of white wheat bread (T-500). Rye bread is characterized by a significantly higher strength of the environment (almost five times higher) compared to white wheat bread, which increases evenly during storage. After 3 days of storage, rye bread achieves an environmental strength approximately three times that of the middle of white bread, which means that the middle of rye bread during standing ages less (Figure 1). When recalculated as a percentage, the medium of rye bread suffered a 26% increase in strength and the middle of white bread by 112%.

Figure 2 The strength of the middle bread during 3 days of storage

In addition to the firmer middle of bread, rye bread is characterized by a slightly lower elasticity of the middle (30%) compared to white bread (36%). However, during storage, changes in the elasticity of the middle of rye bread are less pronounced compared to the elasticity of the middle of white bread so that, after 3 days, rye bread has greater elasticity of the middle (25%) compared to the middle of white bread (21%). The elasticity of the middle of rye bread is reduced by 17% and in white bread by 43%.

Rye breads are a good alternative for fans of healthy eating and in order to increase their popularity, it is necessary to work on harmonizing eating habits and consumer preferences with sensory and nutritional-health quality of products.

Figure 3 Elasticity of the middle of bread during 3 days of storage

Bojana Filipchev, PhD