A functional food perspective on sweet bakery products: effect of Moringa oleifera leaves on fermentation, bioactivity, product quality, and sensory attributes of sourdough brioche

This study evaluated the enrichment of sourdough brioches with Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MLP) at inclusion levels of 5% and 10% (w/w) as a functional ingredient. Brioches were produced using a multi-strain sourdough starter and characterized through microbiological, physicochemical, functional, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sensory analyses. MLP addition did not affect the fermentation process, as evidenced by a comparable pH decrease from 5.6 to 4.9 after 2 h of fermentation and a final microbiota dominated by Lactobacillus (>90% relative abundance). Functional properties were markedly improved by MLP, with total polyphenol content in doughs rising from ca. 29 mg GAE/100 g fresh weight (FW) in the control trial to ca. 211 mg GAE/100 g FW in 10% MLP dough. However, antioxidant activity reached only approximately 30% of the theoretical values, likely due to interactions with the dough matrix. Total polyphenols increased approximately three- and six-fold in 5% and 10% MLP brioche formulations, respectively, while ferric reducing antioxidant power exceeded theoretical expectations. The addition of MLP affected quality attributes, leading to a reduction in specific volume from 3.31 to 2.59 cm3/g and an increase in crumb firmness of up to fourfold. VOC analysis revealed the presence of plant-derived terpenes and esters due to MLP. Sensory evaluation identified the 5% MLP brioche as the optimal formulation, representing the best balance between enhanced functional properties and consumer acceptability. Overall, these findings support the potential of MLP as a valuable ingredient for the development of functional sweet leavened bakery products with enhanced bioactive properties