November 12/Journal of Technology & Science -- According to recent research from Olsztyn, Poland, "The effect of flour extraction rate and baking on thiamine (vitamin B-1) and riboflavin (vitamin B-2) content and antioxidant capacity of traditional ginger cake was studied and then compared to white wheat bread. Ginger cake was formulated either with whole-grain (100% extraction rate) or with brown (92% extraction rate) rye flour and baked at 180 A degrees C for 18 minutes."

"The antioxidant capacity was evaluated in terms of radical scavenging activity against peroxyl (ROO center dot) and superoxide anion radicals (O (2) (center dot-) ). Thiamine content in rye doughs (F-100% and F-92%) was found to be 38% lower when compared to wheat dough. In contrast, whole-grain and brown rye doughs exhibited an almost fourfold higher riboflavin content than wheat dough. Rye dough baking led to reductions in thiamine (from 53 to 65%) and riboflavin (from 69 to 71%) contents. Likewise, thiamine and riboflavin contents in wheat dough were also reduced (56 and 10%, respectively) after baking; however, ginger cake with whole-grain rye flour exhibited significantly higher thiamine and riboflavin contents. Rye doughs and ginger cakes showed higher scavenging activities against ROO center dot radicals when compared to that of wheat dough and bread. Thus, baking significantly enhanced ROO center dot scavenging properties of ginger cakes while only a slight increase was observed in wheat bread. In contrary, baking gave rise to a decrease in SOD-like activity both in ginger cake or wheat bread," wrote C. Martinezvillaluenga and colleagues.

The researchers concluded, "Our findings suggest that formulation with whole-grain rye flour can potentially increase B-1 and B-2 vitamin contents as well as the ROO center dot scavenging capacity of traditional ginger cake."

Martinezvillaluenga and colleagues published their study in European Food Research and Technology ("Effect of Flour Extraction Rate and Baking Process on Vitamin B-1 and B-2 Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Ginger-based Products." European Food Research and Technology, 2009;230(1):119-124).

For additional information, contact H. Zielinski, Polish Academy Science, Institute Animal Reproductive & Food Research, Tuwima 10, PL-10718 Olsztyn, Poland.

From the November 23, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition