Tara pod (Caesalpinia spinosa) extract mitigates neo-contaminant formation in Chilean bread preserving their sensory attributes

“Hallulla” is a highly consumed type of Chilean bread, which may contain considerable amounts of some Neo-Formed Contaminants (NFCs). The objective of this research was to study the effect of tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) pod polyphenolic extract (TPPE) on the mitigation of acrylamide (AA) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in “hallulla” bread without affecting its sensory attributes. The effect of different TPPE concentrations was evaluated (0–3000 mg kg-1) over NFC formation during “hallulla“ baking and its impact on sensory attributes. AA was mitigated by ∼90% at 1500 mg/kg TPPE added to the bread pieces. A similar descriptive profile of the final product, with significant changes only in the crumb color was observed. HMF was mitigated by ∼85% in bread pieces, when the highest concentration (3000 mg/kg) of TPPE was used. Our results highlight the potential of using polyphenolics from tara pod extracts to reduce the exposure of consumers to dietary neo-formed contaminants.