Summary: Production of wheat bran (WB) for human consumption is estimated to be about 90 million tonnes per year. WB is a cheap and abundant source of dietary fibre which has been linked to improved bowel health and possible prevention of some diseases such as colon cancer. It also contains minerals, vitamins and bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, arabinoxylans, alkylresorcinol and phytosterols. These compounds have been suggested as an aid in prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. This article discusses WB extraction, its nutritional properties, potential health benefits, effects on quality and sensory properties of some cereal foods, and its application in some baked products as well as in fried cereal snacks, as an additive for oil reduction and fibre enrichment.

The established use of wheat bran (WB) as a food ingredient is related to the nutritional components locked in its dietary fibre. Concurrently, the technological impairment it poses has impeded its use in product formulations. For over two decades, several modifications have been investigated to combat this problem. Ninety-three (93) studies (review and original research) published in English between January 1997 and April 2021 reporting WB modifications for improved nutritional, structural, and functional properties and prospective utilisation in food formulations were included in this paper. The modification methods include mechanical (milling), bioprocessing (enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation with yeasts and bacteria), and thermal (dry heat, extrusion, autoclaving), treatments. This review condenses the current knowledge on the single and combined impact of various WB pre-treatments on its antioxidant profile, fibre solubilisation, hydration properties, microstructure, chemical properties, and technological properties. The use of modified WB in gluten-free, baked, and other food products was reviewed and possible gaps for future research are proposed. The application of modified WB will have broader application prospects in food formulations.

Finger millet (FM) is one of the little millets grown in Asia and Africa. Although still classified as an “orphan crop”, there is an increasing interest in the research of FM seed coat (FMSC), also known as bran. It houses 90% of the seed’s polyphenols and dietary fibre. The calcium and phosphorus content of FMSC is about 6- to 25-fold that of other cereals. FMSC is specifically beneficial for its polyphenols, arabinoxylans, phytates, and flavonoids content. Evidence of the hypoglycaemic, nephroprotective, hypocholesterolemic, and anti-cataractogenic effects of FMSC has been substantiated, thereby supporting the health claims and validating its nutraceutical potential for diabetics. This article discusses FMSC extraction and nutritional properties, focusing on arabinoxylan and polyphenols, their potential health benefits, and their application in food formulations. Although there is a dearth of information on using FMSC in food formulation, this review will be a data repository for further studies on FMSC.

A double staining protocol for image acquisition using confocal microscopy (CLSM) coupled with image analysis was employed to elucidate the crust and cross-sectional properties of fried dough. Penetrated oil by image analysis (POia), porosity and pore features were quantified from the cross-section micrographs. Crust surface roughness was measured using fractal metrics and fat content was determined by solvent extraction using the American Association of Cereal Chemists method. Crumb porosity ranged between 54.94%–81.84% and reduced (p < 0.05) with bran addition. Crumb pore sizes ranged from 0–475 µm with <1 circularity, indicating elliptical shape. POia values were notably higher (p < 0.05) than PO by Soxhlet extraction (POsox), except for wheat bran (WB) fried dough where the values of POia and POsox were closely ranked. The linear effect of initial moisture content and bran concentration showed a significant impact on the image properties. The mean fractal dimension (FD) decreased as initial moisture increased. The addition of WB caused a significant reduction in the FD of fried dough, while the opposite effect was noted for its oat bran counterpart. Due to non-collinearity of image properties (FD, POia and porosity), data were fitted to cubic polynomial regression with R² values > 0.70. CLSM and image analysis were effective in measuring oil absorption and interpreting crumb properties of fried dough. The protocol used in this study can be applied to other thick deep-fried foods for qualitative observation and quantitative measurement of a specific physical or chemical property.

In this study, composite biscuits were produced by combining wheat flour (WF) with different proportions of malted pearl millet (MPM) flour (8%, 16%, 24%, and 32%) and orange peel (OP) flour (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%), using 100% WF as a control. The investigation covered the functional properties, viscosity, and thermal properties of the flours, along with the proximate composition, antioxidant, physical properties, color attributes, and microbial quality of the composite biscuits. As MPM and OP flour (OPF) contents increased, water absorption capacity, dispersibility, and foaming power increased, while the viscosities of both hot and cold pastes decreased. The thermal properties of the composite flours, including onset, peak, and final temperatures (ranging between 74.19°C and 100.76°C), showed an upward trend with increasing proportions of MPM and orange peel flour (OPF). There was an increase in moisture content (3.43%–4.93%), ash (4.50%–5.59%), crude protein (11.70%–13.41%), and crude fiber (11.44%–16.24%) of biscuits with the incorporation of MPM and OPF. Similarly, the diameter (4.12–4.60 mm), thickness (9.00–10.00 mm), and hardness (7.53–8.75 N) of the biscuits were increased. Antioxidant properties were evident, with an increased total phenolic content (1.40–3.56 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoid content (2.91–6.79 mg QUE/100 g), vitamin C (0.79–1.01 mg/g), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (1.78–8.64 mg GAE/g). Conversely, color attributes— L * (31.90), a * (10.82), b * (19.59), hue angle (30.42), and chroma (53.66)—were found to decrease with higher levels of MPM and OPF. Microbial quality showed decreased total counts, coliforms, yeasts, and mold in biscuits containing MPM and OPF. Overall, the inclusion of MPM and OPF enhanced the nutritional quality of the biscuits and could reduce reliance on imported wheat.

This study investigated the effect of wheat bran (WB) supplementation on the physical and sensory properties of a South African cereal fried dough (magwinya). The physical properties, instrumental texture, and sensory profile were determined for magwinya (100:0, control) and for wheat flour to wheat-bran ratios of 95:5 (MWB5), 90:10 (MWB10), 85:15 (MWB15), and 80:20 (MWB20). An increase in the proportion of WB in the fried dough showed no significant difference on the specific volume (1.47–1.54) of samples. The chroma value (30.19–22.29), lightness (35.92–28.98), and hue angle (55.03–47.77) decreased, while ∆E increased distinctly with the addition of WB. Magwinya supplemented with WB was less cohesive and easy to chew. Significant correlations were found between instrumental hardness and sensory springiness (r = −0.63; p < 0.05), as well as between instrumental cohesiveness and sensory springiness (r = −0.71; p < 0.01). Two principal components were identified, which accounted for 85.1% of the variance in the instrumental data. A substitution level of 5 and 10% WB was similar to the sensory properties of the control in taste, texture, and overall acceptability and can replace part of the wheat flour in the cereal fried dough production.