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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #272035

Title: Effect of corn bran as dietary fiber addition on baking and sensory quality

Author
item Singh, Mukti
item Liu, Sean
item Vaughn, Steven

Submitted to: Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/29/2012
Publication Date: 3/6/2012
Citation: Singh, M., Liu, S.X., Vaughn, S.F. 2012. Effect of corn bran as dietary fiber addition on baking and sensory quality. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. 1:348-352.

Interpretive Summary: This research demonstrated that corn could replace up to 20% flour in cakes without affecting the sensory acceptability of cakes significantly. As the consumers become aware of the need to increase fiber in their diet, the demand for healthful, flavorful, high-fiber food increases. Corn bran is high in dietary fiber but its acceptability in foods has been limited due to coarse texture due to uneven swelling in products. In this research we determined that refining the corn bran by removing germ and endosperm, and grinding to finer size, offers potential for its use in baked products. The main objective of this project was to develop and characterize high-fiber cakes with corn bran replacing flour at various levels. This study will benefit the bakery industry by generating new products offering healthy alternatives to American consumers.

Technical Abstract: Development of wholesome and nutritious fiber rich food products with acceptable functional and sensory quality is a major industrial concern, seeking to capture consumer’s interest in healthy and functional foods. Dietary fiber in corn bran is known for its beneficial effects on human health and nutrition. The main objective was to develop and characterize cakes with added corn bran to increase the dietary fiber intake in the form of purified fine food-grade corn bran (free of germ and endosperm), a byproduct from the grain milling industry that is a good source of dietary fiber replaced flour in cakes at 0%, 5%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% level. The effects of flour replaced with corn bran on batter viscosity, cake volume, crumbgrain, cake color, cake texture cake were examined. Hardness and springiness of cakes were not affected by the increasing levels of corn bran replacement of in cake batter. Flour fortified with 20% corn bran resulted in cakes with acceptable sensory scores based on texture, taste and overall acceptability of the cakes. This study will provide important information to the food industry developing functional ingredients in baked foods and benefit baking industry by generating potentially new food products with healthful attributes.