This was announced by university representatives at a press conference dedicated to the beginning of Russian research into bread announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Russian System of Quality.
The quality of bread in Russia is being checked for the first time. The main goal of the project will be analysis of the quality of the product and determination of the best manufacturers. As they informed the audience at the press conference dedicated to the upcoming research, verification of bread products will happen in three areas – for correspondence to indicators of safety, to GOST requirements, and to the higher standards of Russian System of Quality.
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“In 2010 the norms for bread consumption were confirmed – from 95 to 105 kilograms per capita. But the consumption has decreased over the last few years to 60 kg. The Chelaybinsk region is in 31st place in Russia for consumption,” informs the head of the department of statistics for Chelyabinsk region agriculture and the surrounding environment, Olga Kruglova.
Each year, up to 127 tons of bread are manufactured. The average price for a loaf is 38 rubles. The quality of the products among large manufacturers is stable. Manufacturers can allow the use of various additives and taste enhancers. However, additives can only improve the physiological characteristics of the bread, while increased gluten content affects the quality.
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Associate professor of the SUSU Department of Food and Biotechnology, Svetlana Merenkova, noted that small bakeries use fewer technological additives, but the bread is also more expensive.
“Top grade bread is the least healthy, as it contains few natural products and a lot of starch,” she noted, “Low demand in this case is seen for white bread, and the most healthy is that with bran – it contains a large spectrum of minerals and antioxidants.”
The Department of Food ad Biotechnology, where they developed a new type of “healthy” bread called “Antistress” is looking for ways to enter the Russian product market with their creation. As the speakers from the largest university of the South Ural region said on the name of their product, in this case, stress does not only mean nerve strain. Instead, they are speaking about oxidative stress. This is a condition in which metabolic exchange is seriously damaged and “damaging agents” build up in the body. They damage the cells and lead to pathologies of varying severity.
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“The main component used in our developments was fucoidan, an algae polysaccharide,” explains postgraduate student of the Department of Food and Biotechnology, Anastasiya Paimullina. “It has anti-virus and anti-bacterial characteristics. What is especially valuable is that focoidan is even able to lead to apoptosis of cancer cells. That is, the risk of developing oncology with regular consumption of this bread will become minimized.”
“But to bring our product to the market and put its creation in the stream of manufacturing, we need an investor,” continues the biotechnology postgraduate, “We are already discussing options for partnership with various manufacturers. Besides this, our food creation is completely “ironed out”. Right now we are completing an evaluation of its quality and safety, and also forming a patent for intellectual property.”