Research Information System
European Food Research and Technology, vol.252, no.2, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Refined wheat flour is widely used in bread making due to its favourable technological properties. However, it provides limited nutritional benefits, particularly with respect to dietary fiber, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the effects of substituting refined wheat flour with selected cereal and pulse flours—namely rye, oat, and whole wheat, wheat bran, chickpea, and lentil flours—on the nutritional composition and mineral bioaccessibility of bread. Oat, lentil, and chickpea flours were incorporated at 10% and 20% substitution level, while rye, whole wheat, and bran breads were prepared in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué. Chemical analyses included total phenolic content, phytate concentration, and mineral composition. In vitro mineral bioaccessibility was examined, with additional estimation by phytate-to-mineral molar ratios. The addition of cereal and pulse flours to refined wheat flour significantly increased the contents of dietary fiber, iron, zinc, total phenolics, and phytate in the bread samples (p < 0.05). Although higher phytate levels reduced iron bioaccessibility in all bread formulations, bread samples containing oat, lentil, and chickpea flours demonstrated significantly higher zinc bioaccessibility than the control bread (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that partial substitution (10–20%) of refined wheat flour with cereal and pulse flours can substantially enhance the nutritional value of bread, improving mineral availability while mitigating, to some extent, the inhibitory effects of phytate. Such formulations appear feasible for practical bread production and may contribute to dietary improvement. The findings serve as a basis for the food industry in the development of nutritionally improved breads that combine enhanced nutritional profiles with higher mineral bioavailability.