## 3 Results and Discussion
### Evaluation of Bread Quality Characteristics  
The substitution of water with plant-based beverages had a significant impact on the physical properties of wheat bread, including yield, baking loss, loaf volume, crumb moisture, and pore structure. Bread yield and total baking loss are parameters that indicate the production profitability. Bread yield increased in all experimental groups compared to the control (CON), which achieved a yield of 139.9% (Table 3). The greatest improvements were observed in BS100 and BO100, reaching 149.8% and 148.1%, respectively. The enhanced yield may be attributed to improved water retention in the dough, likely due to the presence of hydrophilic compounds such as \(\beta\)-glucans in oats and soluble dietary fiber in spelt, which are capable of effectively binding water during dough formation and baking [38]. However, it should be noted that the \(\beta\)-glucan content was not directly measured but assumed based on the typical composition of oat-based ingredients. Baking losses remained relatively uniform across most samples, ranging from 11.8% to 12.4%, similar to the control (12.4%) (Table 3). Only the BS100 sample showed a significant reduction in baking loss, indicating improved moisture retention. This effect may be explained by the higher content of dietary fiber and proteins in the spelt beverage, which support water binding and reduce evaporation during baking [24]. Specific load volume, an important quality indicator reflecting gas retention and crumb aeration, varied significantly among the samples. The control reached 3.09 cm\({}^{3}\)/g, while  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l l l l} \hline \hline
**Sample** & **Bread Yield** & **Baking Loss** & **Specific Volume** & **Crumb Moisture** & **Crumb Moisture** \\  & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[cm\({}^{3}\) g\({}^{-1}\)]** & **After 24 h [\%]** & **After 72 h [\%]** \\ \hline CON & 139.9 \(\pm\) 0.5 h & 12.4 \(\pm\) 0.3 a & 3.09 \(\pm\) 0.04 \(\mathrm{\,\mathrm{\mathrm{\mathrm{\  
the highest values were recorded in BS75 (3.52 cm\({}^{3}\)/g), BS25 (3.47 cm\({}^{3}\)/g), and BS50 In Proceedings of the (3.39 cm\({}^{3}\)/g) (Table 3). Oat beverage also positively influenced loaf volume, particularly at 100% substitution. This improvement may be related to the \(\beta\)-glucans present in oats, which at optimal molecular weights and moderate levels, can enhance gas retention and dough structure [25; 38]. However, excessive levels of \(\beta\)-glucans may negatively affect volume by competing with gluten proteins for available water [39]. In contrast, millet beverage may reduce loaf volume due to the lack of gluten-compatible proteins, weakening dough structure and limiting gas retention--an effect similar to that observed in gluten-free bread [40]. Crumb moisture was assessed after 24 and 72 h of storage. The control bread showed a decline from 43.3% to 42.4%. No statistically significant differences were observed in moisture content between the control and the breads enriched with cereal-based beverages (Table 3). However, minor variations may reflect differences in water-binding capacity, determined by the chemical composition of each beverage (Table 2). Spelt and oat beverages, richer in soluble fiber and gelling agents, appeared to retain moisture more effectively than millet beverage. \(\beta\)-glucans from barley, for example, are known for their strong water-holding capacity, which alters water mobility and promotes redistribution within the dough, supporting crumb humidity over time [24]. Millet beverage, containing fewer hydrophilic compounds, may contribute to lower moisture retention and a faster drying rate. Interestingly, millet-enriched breads exhibited a higher percentage of pores in the 0.1-0.9 mm\({}^{2}\) range, suggesting a shift toward larger pore formation. This pore size class represented the largest proportion of total pores across all samples. For pores between 1-4 mm\({}^{2}\), the highest percentages were found in BS75 and BS100.