The fungal problem in bread production: Insights of causes, consequences, and control methods

Publication date: Available online 25 June 2019Source: Current Opinion in Food ScienceAuthor(s): Marcelo Valle Garcia, Angélica Olivier Bernardi, Marina Venturini CopettiContamination by fungi in bread production is a cause for concern because can reduce the product shelf-life generating economic losses and consumers dissatisfaction. Fungal spores originate mainly from raw materials and facilities air. For its control, the main alternative is the use of preservatives; however, this method can lose efficacy due to the resistance of some fungal strains to the allowed preservatives. On the other hand, the use of commercial sanitizers for reducing environmental contamination and more recently, biopreservation can be alternatives to control the microbial load in bakery products, delaying the fungal spoilage and consequently extending the shelf life of bread. This review discusses the main fungal species responsible for bread spoilage, as well as the methods applied to reduce their occurrence in the producing industries.Graphical abstract
Source: Current Opinion in Food Science - Category: Food Science Source Type: research