Redefining bakery science: The evolving role of lipases for quality, nutrition, and sustainability in contemporary baking
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Lipases are versatile biocatalysts with wide applications in the baking industry due to their ability to hydrolyze, esterify, and transesterify lipids. Their enzymatic activity improves dough rheology, enhances bread volume, optimizes crumb structure, and extends product shelf life by delaying staling. Beyond technical functionality, lipases contribute to flavor development, cleaner labeling by reducing synthetic emulsifier use, and improved nutritional profiles of baked goods. Improvements in the production of microbial lipases, immobilization methods, and genetic engineering have made them more useful in industry. At the same time, sustainable fermentation methods meet both environmental and economic needs. Despite their multifunctionality, challenges remain regarding cost-effectiveness, enzyme stability under high baking temperatures, and regulatory compliance. This review highlights the applications, benefits, and limitations of lipases in baking while exploring future perspectives such as precision fermentation, extremophile-derived enzymes, and immobilized lipase systems that promise to make enzyme-driven baking more efficient, sustainable, and consumer-oriented.
Source: Food Chemistry Advances
Authors: Gaurav Sanghvi, Hetsi Goswami, Vivek Pattani, Jinesh Kaneriya, Krishna Joshi, Ashok Kumar Bishoyi
Institutions: Marwadi University, Atmiya University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,080
OpenAlex ID: W7140077751