Singapore cooks up solution to reduce bread waste

The NUS team has filed a patent for the zero-waste process of making the bread-based probiotic beverage

Surplus bread is a major waste problem for bakeries and food retailers. While some unsold bread are donated to charities, most are resold as low-value animal feed. A team of food scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has cooked up an innovative solution to reduce bread waste by using a novel fermentation process to ‘upcycle’ surplus bread into a beverage fortified with gut-friendly micro-organisms.

The new creamy drink, which is slightly fizzy and sweet, is currently the only known probiotic beverage made from a bread base. It can be stored at room temperature for up to six weeks while maintaining high counts of live probiotics to deliver maximum health benefits.

The research team behind the patented zero-waste process comprises project leader Associate Professor Liu Shao Quan, Dr Toh Mingzhan and Miss Nguyen Thuy Linh from the NUS Food Science and Technology.

The NUS team has filed a patent for the zero-waste process of making the bread-based probiotic beverage. They are now looking to work with industry partners to commercialise the drink.

“There is currently a lack of non-dairy probiotic food and beverage options in the market, so our refreshing and healthy new product will help to fill this gap. Our invention also enables bread makers to give their unsold products a new lease of life. We are confident that the bread-based probiotic beverage will have a strong appeal to those who are environmentally conscious,” said Assoc Prof Liu.

 

Image caption- NUS food scientists Assoc Prof Liu Shao Quan (left), Miss Nguyen Thuy Linh (centre) and Dr Toh Mingzhan (right)