Traditional sour dough bread (Difo Dabbo) making: I. Effects on phytic acid destruction

Abstract

The quantitative changes of phytate during the preparation of the traditional sour dough bread (Difo dabbo) and yeast-raised bread were investigated. Raw materials chosen for investigation were flour of high extraction, soy-fortified wheat flour (Dubbie flour), and white flour. The content of phytic acid was determined in all components (raw materials), intermediate products (doughs), and bread. It was found that pH was the most important factor in reducing phytic acid content. The most marked phytate reduction of 96%-100% occurred in bread made with soy-fortified wheat and white flour sour doughs. Reduction of phytate content in bread made from wholemeal wheat flour sour dough was relatively low. The phytate content in yeast-raised bread was reduced at most to 39% of the initial amount. The study results showed that it should be possible to bake traditional sour dough bread (Difo dabbo) from wholemeals with a low phytic acid content by using the sour dough procedure. Such traditional sour dough bread with very low levels of phytate may be a good source of iron, calcium, and zinc since phytate is known to interfere with the absorption of these minerals.