Research background. Millet bran is a by-product rich in dietary fibre, micronutrients and bioactive compounds which are often deficient in a gluten-free diet. Previously, cryogenic grinding has been shown to improve the functionality of bran to some extent, although it offered limited benefits for bread making. This study aims to investigate the effects of adding proso millet bran depending on its particle size and xylanase pretreatment on the physicochemical, sensory and nutritional properties of gluten-free pan bread. Experimental approach. Coarse bran (d50=223 μm) was ground to medium size (d50=157 μm) using an ultracentrifugal mill or to superfine particles (d50=8 μm) using a cryomill. Millet bran presoaked in water (for 16 h at 55 °C) with or without the addition of fungal xylanase (10 U/g) replaced 10 % of the rice flour in the control bread. Bread specific volume, crumb texture, colour and viscosity were measured instrumentally. Along with proximate composition, the content of soluble and insoluble fibre, total phenolic compounds (TPC) and phenolic acids as well as total and bioaccessible minerals of bread were assessed. Sensory analysis of the bread samples included a descriptive, hedonic and ranking test. Results and conclusions. Dietary fibre content (7.3–8.6 g/100 g) and TPC (42–57 mg/100 g) on dry mass basis of the bread loaves depended on bran particle size and xylanase pretreatment. The effect of xylanase pretreatment was most evident in the loaves with medium bran size in terms of higher content of fibre soluble in ethanol (45 %) and free ferulic acid content (5 %), improved bread volume (6 %), crumb softness (16 %) and elasticity (7 %), but lower chewiness (15 %) and viscosity (20–32 %). Bread bitterness and dark colour were increased after adding medium-sized bran but its bitter aftertaste, crust crookedness, crumb hardness and graininess were reduced with xylanase pretreatment. Although bran addition impaired protein digestibility, it enriched the bread with iron (341 %), magnesium (74 %), copper (56 %) and zinc (7.5 %). Xylanase pretreatment of the bran resulted in the improved bioaccessibility of zinc and copper of the enriched bread compared to the control and bread without xylanase. Novelty and scientific contribution. Application of xylanase to medium sized bran obtained by ultracentrifugal grinding was more successful than its application to superfine bran obtained by the multistage cryogrinding as it resulted in more soluble fibre in gluten-free bread. Moreover, xylanase was proven beneficial in maintaining desirable bread sensory properties and mineral bioaccessibility.

Background/Objectives: Overweight children and childhood obesity are growing public health concerns influenced by early-life nutrition and lifestyle. Irregular eating patterns, sedentary behaviour, and maladaptive eating behaviours significantly contribute to excess weight gain in children. This cross-sectional study comprehensively assessed physical activity, sleep, anthropometric parameters, and eating behaviours in preschool children in Split, Croatia, examining associations between eating behaviours and nutritional status indicators. Methods: A total of 429 children aged 4 to 7 years were recruited from kindergartens in Split-Dalmatia County. Parents completed a lifestyle questionnaire and the Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, middle upper arm circumference, waist circumference) were recorded and BMI-for-age z-scores calculated. Physical activity and sleep patterns were assessed based on parental reports. Results: A total of 66% of the children had a healthy body weight, 12.6% were underweight, and 21.4% were overweight or obese. Significant sex differences were found in the CEBQ subscale “Slowness in Eating” (p = 0.04). Overweight or obese children showed a higher food responsiveness, while underweight/normal-weight children had greater emotional undereating and slowness in eating. No significant sex differences were observed regarding physical activity. Girls exhibited significantly more frequent daytime napping than boys. Conclusions: This study shows a significant prevalence of overweight and obese preschool children in Split, Croatia. The results underline the importance of promoting healthy eating behaviours and physical activity from an early age. This is the first study applying CEBQ in the Croatian population and suggests that the interventions should target diet quality and unfavourable eating behaviours to prevent future health risks.

Psyllium husk, a dietary fibre derived from Plantago ovata seeds, is widely used in food systems for its gelling ability, water absorption, and texturizing properties. Due to its varying solubility, the fibre can be extracted into fractions with different flow properties. However, limited knowledge exists on how its fractions can be leveraged for food enhancement. Therefore, we isolated two psyllium fractions (F1 and F2) and fabricated starch-fibre gels using starches with varying amylose content (5.9, 37.9, and 63.1% amylose). To fully understand mechanisms between the fractions and starches, we applied three temperature treatments (95, 120 and 140 °C) by utilising high temperature rapid visco analysis (HT-RVA), resulting in 27 starch and starch-fibre gels. F2 increased peak viscosity in all starches, and it significantly changed the profile of high amylose corn starch, while F1 had less effect on the pasting. Texture properties of the gels were mostly influenced by temperature treatments, but amylose leaching and starch hydrolysis by α-amylase were significantly changed by fibre addition. F1 caused an increase of the extent of starch hydrolysis, but F2 reduced it. F1 increased leached amylose, particularly in high amylose corn starch. SEM images have shown changes in the gel microstructure depending on fibre addition and temperature, potentially related to phase separation and fibre impact on ice formation. This work highlights that fibre fractions from the same source have contrasting effects on functional and health-related properties of starch-based food systems, which may be highly valuable for developing healthier food products.