ARS | Publication request: Whole Grains: Processing, fiber, color, and phytonutrients

Submitted to: Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 17, 2010
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Citation: Morris, C.F., Fuerst, E.P., Luthria, D.L. 2010. Whole Grains: Processing, fiber, color, and phytonutrients. Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists. July 17-20, 2010, Chicago, IL.

Technical Abstract: Increased consumption of whole grains, especially wheat, can reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease due to dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants. Yet, remarkably little is known about the fate of fiber (arabinoxylans) and phenolics during wheat food processing. Our long-term goal is to facilitate increased consumption of dietary fiber and phytonutrients by increasing the fiber and phytonutrient density of wheat, and by increasing consumer acceptance of whole grain foods. Our research will: (1) Determine the effects of product processing on fiber, phenolic composition, and antioxidant activity in two model foods, bread and pancakes, made from whole grain and white flour; (2) Determine the genetic variation for fiber, phenolics, antioxidants, and color quality in wheat varieties across the U.S. and (3) Understand the interactions of polyphenol oxidase, phenolics, and antioxidants in modifying fiber, phenolics, and food product color during processing. We are targeting the priorities of Program 93430: (1) characterizing the interactions of arabinoxylan fiber, phenolics, and antioxidants during processing, (2) developing analytical methods for phenolics and antioxidants, and (3) determining physico-chemical characteristics of bioactive compounds (arabinoxylans, phenolics, and antioxidants) during processing. This research has highly significant implications for the development of more nutritious and appealing wheat foods. Current status: we have collected Regional Nursery wheat grain samples from the two Eastern Soft Winter wheat trials, the four (soft winter, hard winter, soft spring and hard spring) Western Regional nurseries, the two Hard Winter wheat nurseries from the southern Great Plains and one set of the Hard Spring wheat regional nursery, a second location from North Dakota has been promised. Some quality analyses have been started with in-house technical staff, graduate student recruitment is underway. AFRI Award no. 2009-65503-05828.