Investigation of the spatial distribution of sodium in bread microstructure using X-ray, light and electron microscopy
Journal article, 2024

The sodium consumption in many countries is too high, which results in increased risk for hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and premature death. Inhomogeneous sodium distribution using layering is a viable way to reduce sodium in bread that normally contains a lot of sodium. Prevention of sodium migration during production and storage is important for the function of this approach. Furthermore, the distribution of sodium between starch and gluten influences their properties. The spatial distribution of sodium was investigated at high resolution using combinations of X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and image analysis. Reference breads and layered bread samples were baked with one salt-free layer and one layer containing 3.6 wt% sodium chloride salt. The obtained results showed that the concentration of sodium is higher in the starch phase than in the gluten phase and that sodium migrates across the layer interface from the salt-containing to the salt-free layer. The ratios between the sodium concentration in the starch and gluten phases were dependent on the sodium concentration across the interfaces. Furthermore, magnesium and phosphor signals in bread yeast cells were observed using XFM.

Food structure

Chemical analysis

X-ray fluorescence microscopy

Bread

Sodium reduction

Author

Simone Sala

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Annika Altskär

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Torben Nilsson Pingel

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Alessandra Gianoncelli

Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste

Milan Žižić

Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste

Camille Rivard

SOLEIL Synchrotron

National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE)

Eva Olsson

Chalmers, Physics, Nano and Biophysics

Tim Nielsen

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Niklas Lorén

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

LWT - Food Science and Technology

0023-6438 (ISSN) 1096-1127 (eISSN)

Vol. 209 116787

NanoSPAM: National Nodes for Sample Preparation And Microscopy

Swedish Research Council (VR) (2018-06478), 2019-01-01 -- 2022-12-31.

Subject Categories

Food Science

DOI

10.1016/j.lwt.2024.116787

More information

Latest update

10/15/2024