Classification and statistical analysis of the nutritional value of commercially available breads in Romania

Bread is one of the most fundamental and widely consumed staple foods, therefore, a detailed analysis and comparison of the nutritional value of commercially available bread products can provides valuable insights for both consumers and producers.In this study, the nutritional compositions of 60 bread products from wholesalers operating on the Romanian market was evaluated. A comparative analysis was carried based on the energy, macronutrient, and salt content within the product category. On average, bread contained 1026 kJ/100 g energy, derived from 2.52 g of fat, 44.46 g of carbohydrates, and 9 g of protein. The average fiber and salt contents of the analyzed bread samples were 9 g and 1.25 g/100 g, respectively. For classification of the bread samples and the statistical evaluation of the data, hierarchical cluster analyses and descriptive statistics methods were applied.The nutritional composition of commercially available breads in Romania showed significant variation in energy, fiber, fat, and salt content depending on bread type and formulation. Potato bread had the lowest energy and fat content, while white and specialty breads exhibited higher energy or fat levels, and whole-grain breads provided the highest dietary fiber content.