Bread Production from Different Flours Using Strains of Baker’s and Palm Wine Yeasts

Bread is widely eaten across the world and the science of its baking has come a long way. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of using Baker’s and palm wine yeasts on the performance and sensory properties of bread baked with bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), corn (Zea mays), golden penny and wheat flours in addition to nutritional analysis of the flours and Baker’s yeast. Collection of samples, processing of flours, palm wine yeast isolation, proximate and elemental analyses, and baking of the various breads were done using standard methodologies. Sensory evaluation was performed using Likert scale and replicate readings were analysed using analysis of variance. Baker’s yeast had the highest amount of fat, ash and protein but lower than the rest in fiber and carbohydrate content. Amongst the flours examined for proximate composition, bean flours had higher amounts of moisture, ash and fiber, but not carbohydrate and fiber. Vitamins A, total and soluble vitamin C were present in all our sampled flours and Baker’s yeast. Baker’s yeast had the highest amount of these vitamins followed by corn and beans. Elemental composition analysis showed that the flours contained potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and phosphorus in varying amounts. Although Baker's yeast did slightly better than the isolated yeast with all the flour types, its sensory evaluation with maize and wheat flours samples were better than that of bean flour. The findings indicate that isolated yeast from palm wine compares favourably with Baker's yeast in the leavening of wheat bread, sensory properties and performance parameters.