Acrylamide mitigation in rye sourdough bread utilising lactic acid bacteria and yeast at various fermentation stages

The aim of this research was to assess the efficacy of <i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> (LR) and <i>Kazachstania barnettii</i> (KB), in reducing acrylamide (AA) levels during rye sourdough bread production. Strains of inocula were introduced during sourdough production, leavening, and spreading on the dough surface, followed by short fermentation before baking. The highest AA reduction was observed in whole bread and crumb fractions of bread where <i>Kazachstania barnettii</i> was added to the sourdough, and crust fraction of bread where <i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> was spread on the bread surface. The bread inoculation also improved quality by lowering hardness; increasing volume, water activity and moisture content. It was observed that bread with a yeast strain spread on the surface had a brighter crust than other bread variants. A negative correlation was identified between the browning index and AA reduction. Additionally, bread variants with the greatest acidity were those in which the strain was added during sourdough production.