Spirulina in gluten-free bread: fermentation, aroma and prebiotic effects
What it found
Adding spirulina flour to gluten-free bread changed the mix of aroma compounds and gave the bread a prebiotic boost in lab tests.
The breads with spirulina were less liked by consumers for colour and smell.
What they found
Studies in people
Consumer liking
The 20 consumers liked the standard gluten-free breads more than the spirulina-enriched ones, especially for colour and smell. Taste and crispiness were not significantly different.
Animal and lab studies
Prebiotic activity
In lab tests, the spirulina-enriched dough that was not fermented had the highest prebiotic activity, similar to that of a known prebiotic. After baking, the prebiotic activity dropped but was still higher than in standard breads.
Aroma compounds
Spirulina breads contained more organic acids and ketones, and had exclusive compounds like thymol, borneol, and nicotinic acid. Some of these compounds are linked to antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
Fermentation performance
Microbial growth and acidification were similar in spirulina and standard doughs. The spirulina doughs had a slightly milder acidification.
What the authors conclude
“This work, for the first time indicates that spirulina can be used to fortify GF bakery, improving also its functional potential.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that spirulina can be used to fortify gluten-free bakery products and improve their functional potential.
- They note that the addition of spirulina and the fermentation process gave rise to specific volatile compound profiles that predict the bread's aroma.
- They suggest that the higher presence of hexanoic and nonanoic acids may have contributed to the lower consumer liking.
How it was done
Gluten-free foods are often low in protein, so the authors wanted to see if adding spirulina flour could improve the nutritional and functional quality of gluten-free bread. They also wanted to understand how different fermentation processes affect the aroma compounds and prebiotic activity.
They made gluten-free doughs with and without 5.3% spirulina flour, fermented them using four different methods (spontaneous, single strains, and sourdough starters), and baked them into breads. They measured microbial growth, pH, prebiotic activity, volatile organic compounds, and had 20 consumers score the breads for colour, smell, taste, crispiness, and overall liking.
What it can’t tell you
- This study was done in the lab and with a small consumer panel, so it cannot show how eating these breads affects health over time.
- The prebiotic activity was measured in lab tests, not in people, so it cannot show what happens in the human gut.
- The consumer test involved only 20 people, so the liking results may not represent all shoppers.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Effect of formulations and fermentation processes on volatile organic compounds and prebiotic potential of gluten-free bread fortified by spirulina ( Arthrospira platensis )
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Casciano F, Nissen L, Gianotti A (2021). Effect of formulations and fermentation processes on volatile organic compounds and prebiotic potential of gluten-free bread fortified by spirulina ( Arthrospira platensis ). Food & function. doi:10.1039/d1fo01239hFree full textPubMed 34542123DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error