Antifungal activity of sourdough fermented wheat germ used as an ingredient for bread making

This study aimed at investigating the antifungal activity of sourdough fermented (Lactobacillus plantarum LB1 and Lactobacillus rossiae LB5) wheat germ (SFWG). Preliminarily, methanol and water/salt-soluble extracts from SFWG were assayed by agar diffusion towards Penicillium roqueforti DPPMAF1. As shown by hyphal radial growth rate, the water/salt-soluble extract showed the inhibition of various fungi isolated from bakeries. The antifungal activity was attributed to a mixture of organic acids and peptides which were synthesized during fermentation. Formic (24.7 mM) acid showed the highest antifungal activity. Four peptides, having similarities with well known antifungal sequences, were identified and chemically synthesized. The minimal inhibitory concentration was 2.5–15.2 mg/ml. Slices of bread made by addition of 4% (wt/wt) of freeze dried SFWG were packed in polyethylene bags and stored at room temperature. Slices did not show contamination by fungi until at least 28 days of storage and behaved as the calcium propionate (0.3%, wt/wt).