NETTLE BREAD, A POTENTIAL FUNCTIONAL PRODUCT

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) plants are considered plant superfood with medicinal properties. Stinging nettle plant can be found worldwide and were used to combat a wide range of diseases like: seasonal allergies, respiratory problems, arthritis, pain, anemia and lethargy, inflammations etc.), as textile or food since thousands of years. There are no informations regarding since when nettle started to be introduced in bread, but there are written food receipts since Roman times. The aim of this study is to present the possibility of using nettle powder (1, 5, 10%) of the total flour quantity, to improve bread taste and quality. Young nettle leaves were collected from a nonpolluted area (Bazos, Timis), dried under controlled environment, then powdered and stored at room temperature in stainless steel container. The bread with and without nettle powder (Control) was analyzed regarding moisture content, mineral composition using XRF analyzer, total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content. The results were statistically evaluated. By comparing plain white bread and bread enriched with nettle powder, it's observed the increase of mineral content, total phenolics and antioxidant activity.