# The Effect of Carob Extract on Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Sensory Properties of Bread
###### Abstract  
To improve the nutritional value of bread, as well as to satisfy consumers whose awareness of the importance of nutrition to preserve health is growing significantly, it is desirable to enrich bread and bakery products with functional components. Carob (_Ceratonia siliqua_ L.) is an evergreen tree that is widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and belongs to the legumes group. As carob pulp contains a unique combination of polyphenolic compounds and dietary fibre, it can be a useful raw material for the production of enriched bakery products. In this work, the possibility of applying carob extract as a potential natural preservative and functional additive in the production of bread was investigated. With this aim, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% of powdered carob extract (CP) were added to bread dough and the quality characteristics of the bread were examined. The microbiological quality of bread was significantly better in samples with the addition of CP, which was confirmed by the lower values of the total number of bacteria and the absence of the _Bacillus cereus_. The addition of up to 3.5% carob extract had no negative effect on the sensory quality of the bread. The brightness of the bread samples decreased (L*), while the proportion of the red tone (_a*_) increased, and the intensity of the yellow tone (_b*_) decreased with an increase in the proportion of CP. The amount of total phenols (0.27 mg GAE/g) for the sample with 3.5% CP in bread was significantly higher compared to the control sample (0.12 mg GAE/g). The total antioxidant activity also increased significantly with the increase in the proportion of CP. Therefore, the present study proves that powdered carob extract can be successfully included in the production of a healthy functional food. bread quality; carob flour; antioxidant activity; antimicrobial activity; sensory characteristics 20242002 and antimicrobial agents are used in the breadmaking industry [6]. Synthetic additives are widely used in food production because they have high antimicrobial activity, low cost and are easily available. The safety of synthetic additives is increasingly questioned because they are considered responsible for many carcinogenic and teratogenic phenomena, as well as toxicity [7]. Therefore, increasing attention is paid to plant derivatives as an alternative to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms [8], whose use will ensure a longer shelf life of food products. Many studies have shown that some plants produce biologically active compounds that possess significant antimicrobial activity [9]. Recently, the antimicrobial effect of various plant extracts against certain pathogenic species has been observed [10]. The use of natural antimicrobial substances such as organic acids, essential oils and plant extracts can be a good way to prevent the spoilage of food and bakery products [11]. During the last two decades, many studies have shown interesting results regarding the bioactivity of compounds present in carob. The attention of the scientific public is increasingly attracted by dietary fibre, cyclitols, polyphenols and tannins present in carob. These compounds are thought to be responsible for the health benefits that carob provides, including anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-diarrheal and anti-hyperlipidemic effects [12; 13; 14]. Carob attracts the attention of scientists because its extracts have shown very strong antimicrobial activity against many types of bacteria and moulds [3; 8; 15; 16]. Carob extracts in vitro show a high antioxidant potential, while in vivo they significantly reduce cerebral and myocardial lipid peroxidation, as well as the level of hydrogen peroxide in the kidneys, liver and brain. Also, the anti-dyslipidemic, anti-obesity and hepatoprotective potential of carob pulp was confirmed in the treatment of high-fat-diet-fed rats [17]. Therefore, carob polyphenol extracts can be used as natural antioxidants in the food industry and can replace synthetic additives [18].