Bread breakdown pathways during mastication: impact of wheat bran fortification

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of wheat bran fortification on the mastication process of bread. White wheat bread (WB) and bran-fortified wheat bread (BB) were consumed by eighteen panellists. The bolus was collected at four different mastication stages and characterized by properties of hydration, particle size, and texture. The results showed that there was no difference between the two bread samples in terms of swallowable bolus moisture. BB with a harder and denser texture produced more small particles and had a slightly shorter chewing time than WB during mastication. Moreover, bolus heterogeneity (D-75/D-25) indicated a distinct difference among mastication stages and revealed different disintegration pathways between the two samples: BB bolus exhibited a monotonous particle size reduction during mastication with reducing D-50 and D-75/D-25; whereas, WB displayed a combination pattern of disintegration and agglomeration featuring relatively steady D-50 and fluctuating D-75/D-25. It was concluded that bran fortification changed the bread breakdown pathways in terms of bread disintegration and bolus formation during the mastication process. This information offers new guidelines for fortifying innovative materials to manufacture foods specifically targeted for health.

Automated summary

The study found that bran-fortified wheat bread produced a harder and denser bolus compared to white wheat bread during mastication, with a slightly shorter chewing time and significant reduction in particle size. Additionally, the breakdown pathways differed between the two bread types, with bran-fortified bread showing a gradual particle size reduction and white wheat bread displaying a combination of disintegration and agglomeration.