*3.5. Crumb Firmness Measurements*

A texture analyzer TA.XTplus (Stable Micro Systems, Surrey, UK) was used to measure force-time curves according to the AACC standard 74–09.01 [65] with modifications. At day 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, and 17, bread slices (2.5 cm thick) were compressed to a deformation level of 40% of the original sample height by a 25 mm cylindrical probe (P25) at a test speed of 1.7 mm/s. The peak force of compression was reported as firmness (g). Measurements in triplicates were used for the evaluation of the bread staling.
