The aim of this work was to analyse the influence of plant-based protein ingredients added to bread on the overall quality of the end product. The analysis of the recent literature revealed a great interest in using plant-based protein ingredients versus animal-based ingredients. The main previous improvements consisted in the production of the bread in which about 15% wheat flour was replaced with various protein isolates from wheat, corn, potato, carob, peas, soya, lupine and beans. The impact on the properties of the dough (gluten aggregation, gluing behaviour, rheology) as well as on the quality of the bread (volume, crumb structure, crumb hardness) was investigated. The protein-rich ingredients affected gluten aggregation, gluing and determined the weakening of the gluten network in dough containing potato and pea proteins. Also, the literature indicated a high importance of the consumers’ preference regarding the inclusion of functional foods with added protein in their daily diets, so that they reach the levels of intake necessary to achieve the health effects at present.
The progressive salinisation of irrigated cropland is causing substantial losses in agricultural production, a problem that will worsen due to climate change effects. Enhancing crop salt tolerance is a sensible strategy to achieve significant increases in crop yields, but requires a deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms. When challenged by salinity, all plants, regardless of their degree of tolerance, activate a series of basic responses, including the control of ion transport, the synthesis of compatible solutes for osmotic adjustment, or the activation of antioxidant systems. Yet, for a given species, the biological relevance and the relative contribution of different responses to the mechanisms of salt tolerance remain largely unknown. Over the last years, we have performed comparative analyses on the responses to salinity in different taxa, genetically related but with varying levels of tolerance. Correlating salt-induced changes in the concentrations of suitable biochemical stress markers with the relative tolerance of the investigated species, we are obtaining novel and interesting information on those mechanisms. Some examples with taxa of several genera are discussed, to show the usefulness of our approach.
