María Franco successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Functional and Nutritional Impact of Unrefined Plant Powders in Wheat Bread” on May 13, 2026, at the University of Valladolid.
The thesis, conducted jointly between the University of Valladolid and Aarhus University and supervised by Professors Manuel Gómez and Mario Martínez, focuses on the development of technologically and nutritionally improved bread formulations.
The work explores the use of unrefined plant-based ingredients to optimize the nutritional and technological quality of bread without compromising consumer acceptance. Specifically, the thesis addresses the replacement of chemical additives, shelf-life extension, improvement of the sensory attributes of whole wheat bread, and the potential of bread as a vehicle for health-relevant plant secondary metabolites.
A compendium of four studies investigated the potential of acerola powder, psyllium husk, and apple pomace to replace chemical additives and offer sustainable, functional, and health-oriented solutions for bread production.