PHENOLIC COMPOUND PROFILE OF WHOLE WHEAT BREADS PRODUCED WITH SOURDOUGHS PREPARED USING Opuntia dillenii AND ISOLATES LACTIC BACTERIA

Sourdough is a biotechnological strategy capable of promoting transformations in bioactive compounds present in food matrices, including the release and bioconversion of phenolic compounds through the metabolic activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In parallel, cacti of the genus Opuntia have potential as functional ingredients because they are sources of phenolic compounds and other bioactive constituents. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the phenolic compound profile of whole-wheat breads produced with sourdoughs supplemented with Opuntia dillenii and inoculated with autochthonous cultures of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 47 and Levilactobacillus brevis 83. Three sourdoughs containing O. dillenii cladode pulp were prepared and inoculated with L. plantarum 47 (S47), L. brevis 83 (S83), or both strains in a 1:1 co-culture (SMix). The sourdoughs were used to produce the respective breads B47, B83, and BMix, in addition to a control bread prepared without sourdough, LAB, or O. dillenii. To determine the phenolic compound profile, methanolic extracts of the samples were prepared and subsequently analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Compounds were identified and quantified by comparison with external standards based on retention times, calibration curves, and spectral similarity. 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid was identified in all formulations, with the highest concentration observed in B47 (5.24 mg/L), followed by B83 (4.98 mg/L), BMix (3.21 mg/L), and the control (2.66 mg/L). B47 exhibited the highest concentration of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, exceeding that observed in the control. This behavior may be related to the metabolic capacity of LAB, particularly L. plantarum, to promote the release of phenolic compounds bound to the food matrix, together with the contribution of O. dillenii, which is recognized as a source of phenolic acids. Additionally, procyanidin A2 was detected exclusively in BMix (0.23 mg/L), suggesting that co-culture fermentation may have favored its release or increased its availability within the matrix. Fumaric acid was also detected at concentrations of 2.13, 2.15, 1.54, and 1.29 mg/L in the control, B47, B83, and BMix, respectively, demonstrating culture-dependent modulation. Although fumaric acid is not a phenolic compound, its variation further supports the occurrence of metabolic transformations during fermentation. The results demonstrate that the combination of natural fermentation, autochthonous LAB cultures, and O. dillenii modulated the phenolic compound profile of whole-wheat breads, with L. plantarum 47 standing out for the greatest accumulation of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. This strategy shows potential for the development of bakery products with a differentiated bioactive profile while adding value to a plant matrix adapted to semiarid regions. 

Financial support of FAPESQ-PB (Call No. 49/2024), CNPq Universal Call No. 44/2024 – Emerging Research Groups (Track A), and the INOVCACT project (MCTI/FINEP/FNDCT/CT-AGRO Call No. 01/2022).