Esterification enhances carotenoid retention during bread‐making

BACKGROUND: Carotenoids are plant-derived antioxidants that contribute to human health and represent key quality traits in wheat-based foods. However, they are highly unstable and prone to degradation during processing. Xanthophyll esterification has been identified as a natural mechanism that enhances carotenoid stability during grain storage. This study investigated carotenoid retention throughout the bread-making process, with particular focus on the potential protective effect of esterification. RESULTS: Six genotypes with contrasting carotenoid content and esterification capacity, including bread wheat, tritordeum, and Hordeum chilense-wheat chromosome substitution lines, were analyzed. Carotenoids were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at sequential processing stages: grain, flour, dough, freshly baked bread, and bread stored for 48 h. Lutein, present in both free and esterified forms, was the predominant carotenoid in all the genotypes evaluated, with slight genotype-dependent differences. Esterified carotenoids consistently showed higher retention compared to their free forms. Baking was identified as the most detrimental step for carotenoid degradation in our study, whereas storage after baking resulted in only minor additional changes. Our results indicated that carotenoid esterification may continue during the early stages of bread-making. CONCLUSIONS: Carotenoid esterification represents a promising strategy to enhance carotenoid preservation during bread-making. This approach could complement both technological optimizations in processing and the genetic selection and improvement of wheat varieties with elevated carotenoid content. These optimizations should focus primarily on baking, as this was the step that had the most detrimental effect on carotenoid retention. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.