The role of rural women /organizations in rural areas in the promotion of sourdough bread

1. Aim and motivationSourdough bread stills widely manufactured at farm level across Europe and worldwide and is highly appreciated by consumers for its flavour and healthy attributes. Women are given a special role in promoting this type of bread. By baking bread, participating in competitions, fairs or activities in organizations (such as associations of housewives) they contribute to the wide promotion of homemade bread (including sourdough).The purpose of this research is to determine the role of women in the promotion of sourdough bread (in the countries participating in the study).
2. Proposed contribution to the scientific objectives of the ActionWomen can play a significant role in creating value in supply chains. To contribute to develop new business opportunities to the local farmers through their engagement into food processing chains with (shared) small-scale breadmaking plants, and through their integration into the whole industrial and trade value chains.
3. Relevant methodologies and techniquesResearch method: surveyResearch tool: research questionnaireEach country has its own specifics (type of organization, legal forms, contact details, women's openness to cooperation, etc.). Therefore, the technique and research procedure will be established at a later date.
4.  Work plan:
   1.  selection of countries for research
   2. review of the relevant literature
   3. creating a research tool
   4. establishing the procedure
   5. data collection
   6. data development
   7.  writing an article / articles

The aim of this STSM is to analyse the sensorial properties of several sourdough bread/bakery products. These products will be prepared in laboratory or obtained commercially. Instrumental methods will be used to evaluate their actual texture (hardness, crust crispness, TPA profile), color and freshness. Specific questionaries will be prepared to evaluate the sesnory profile by a randomly chosen judging panel or by a selected trained panel. The sensory profile will be evaluated during the shelf-life stability of the products. This research will contribute towards understanding how sourdough microflora and suitable technologies for preparation of sourdough products affect the sensorial perception and preference of the consumers and if they prolong the shelf-life of the bakery products. Texture analysis using texturemeter, color by colorimetar, sensorial preference by questionarries including descriptive, atributive tests, tests for preference and intensity scale. Statistical analysis of obtained information. Work plan: 1 week: selection of bread/bakery products, 2 week: instrumental methods and preparation of questionarries, 3 weeek: sensory analysis, 4 week: integration of results and statistical computation.

The aim of this STSM is to select suitable materials (carbohydrates, proteins or composites) for development of alternative packaging for bread and bakery products. The main focus would be on 1) synthesis and characterization of edible films and 2) their application onto bread or bakery products. The analysis would involve comparisson between edible films and coatings on the shelf-life of the bread and bakery products. This research would contribute to the development of sustainble packaging and films for local sourdough bread and bakery products. Hopefully it should enable broader cooperation on this subject with possibility to combine research with other WG (eg. WG that work on fermentation and produce exopolysaccharides as by-product, which can be further used as basis for edible films). Synthesis of films via casting. Characterization of films in terms of: thickness, swelling, water content, mechanical properties (puncture and tensile strength), optical properties (color and transmission), barrier properties (water vapour permeability). Application methods: spraying and brushing. Shelf-life evaluation of goods: chemical, physical and microbiological analysis. Work plan: 1 week: demonstration and synthesis of films, 2 week: characterization of films and their application, 3 week: integrating results of characterization, 4 week: shelf-life evaluation and integration those results.