Effect of Glycine on Thermal Stability of Folic Acid during Baking

Folic acid (vitamin B9) deficiency is a significant health issue because excessive food processing often leads to nutritional deficiencies. This article describes the effect of glycine on the thermal stability of folic acid in bakery products. The research featured bakery samples made from high-grade wheat flour, drinking water, salt, folic acid, sugar, and glycine. Quantitative analysis of the folic acid was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Glycine significantly affected the preservation of folic acid during baking. The samples without glycine lost 82% or more of their folic acid after heat treatment, whereas the samples with glycine lost 10% or less. An aqueous solution of folic acid and glycine mixed with flour and other solids improved the distribution of folic acid throughout the dough. Glycine significantly increased the preservation of folic acid during baking, thereby facilitating the production of fortified foods. This method may yield more effective technologies for producing bakery goods fortified with folic acid to eliminate its deficiency in the diet. Future research will determine the nature and mechanism of the effect that glycine exerts on the properties of folic acid.