Quantification of phenyllactic acid in wheat sourdough using high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

In this study, high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS) was successfully used to quantify the level of phenyllactic acid produced by Lactobacillus plantarum strains during sourdough fermentation. Investigation of samples collected during fermentation revealed that the production of phenyllactic acid occurs throughout the growth of L. plantarum in sourdough, but the highest production rate was observed during the logarithmic growth phase. The highest amount, that is, 33.47 mg of phenyllactic acid/kg of dough, was measured in sourdough fermented by the antifungal strain L. plantarum FST 1.7. Sourdoughs fermented by different L. plantarum strains contained different amounts of phenyllactic acid, thus indicating that the production is strain-dependent. Phenylacetic acid was also detected during sourdough analysis, thus showing that the HRGC-MS protocol developed is suitable for the detection not only of phenyllactic acid, but also of a broader range of phenolic acids that are highly relevant, but present in very low amounts in sourdough.