Tainsa, M.Kouidri, A.Tekiner, I. H.Silva, C. L. M.Algingil, S.Bouchenak, N. S.2026-03-172026-03-172025-08-01Tainsa, M., Kouidri, A., Tekiner, I. H., & Silva, C. L. M. et al. (2025). Comparative analysis of the effects of carob and wheat flours on nutritional, health, and pre-bake rheological properties of spontaneously fermented sourdough. International Food Research Journal , 32(4), 1080-1098. https://doi.org/10.47836/ifrj.32.4.141985-46682f200bee-9e62-40e2-b678-47d9952094dchttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/57367Natural non-wheat alternatives can improve the nutritional and health properties of baked foods during dough fermentation. However, the effects of carob on these parameters are unclear. Therefore, the present work aimed to comparatively examine the effects of carob and wheat flours on the nutritional, health, and pre-bake rheological properties of spontaneously fermented sourdough. Five sourdough compositions (SC1 with 100% carob flour; SC2 with 75% carob flour; SC3 with 50% carob flour; SC4 with 25% carob flour; and SC5 with 100% wheat flour) were prepared and fermented for 5 d at 30°C. The pH, temperature, titratable acidity (TTA), phytic acid content (PAC), levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6, phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, antioxidant capacity (AC), and identification of lactic acid bacteria (16S rRNA sequencing) were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of fermented dough on the viability of human L929 fibroblast and HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines was examined using in vitro cytotoxicity (MTS) assay. Besides, the pre-baking farinograph and extensograph indices of flours were evaluated. Compared with wheat and wheat-carob blends, SC1 with 100% carob flour exhibited a pH of 4.2 at 21.8°C, lower TTA (2.1-fold) and PAC (3.4-fold), and higher B-group vitamin (1.9-fold), TPC and TFC (4-fold), and AC (1.2-fold) levels. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was the predominant species in sourdoughs. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that sourdoughs exerted cytotoxic effects on HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05) but not on L929 cells. The addition of carob flour (5, 10, and 15%) increased the water adsorption, dough development, stability time, resistance to extension, and ratio number, but decreased energy and extensibility. Thus, carob flour can be used as a non-wheat ingredient in spontaneously fermented sourdough for preparing baked goods due to its high nutritional and health values. However, further studies are needed to understand the biochemical function of sourdough prepared with carob flour, and to validate the final product.engCarobFermentationHealthNutritionSourdoughWheatresearch article10.47836/ifrj.32.4.14