The properties and breadmaking potential of freshly baked and frozen bakery products during partial replacement of wheat flour with spelt flour.

The aim of this work was the evaluation of the breadmaking potential of spelt flour when combined with wheat flour in various proportions, both in freshly baked and frozen form, and determine the optimal ratio for products with satisfactory quality characteristics. Freshly baked samples were prepared using different spelt-wheat flour mixtures ranging from 0 to 100% spelt at 10% intervals, while batches containing 0, 30, 50, 80, and 100% spelt were prepared in the case of frozen dough samples. The characteristics of the final baked products (dough volume expansion, specific volume, crust and crumb color, hardness, and water activity) were evaluated. Results showed that spelt flour proportions up to 20% provide bread with quality and sensory characteristics similar to wheat, while proportions higher than 70% lead to products with inferior properties. Therefore, samples with spelt content between 30 and 60%, although slightly degraded, remained highly acceptable.