Influence of Bioprocessed Wheat Bran on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Dough and on Wheat Bread Texture

The aim of this work was to assess the influence of wheat bran addition on the rheological properties of dough and on subsequent wheat bread volume and texture. Two types of bioprocessed bran (fermentation with yeast or with yeast plus enzymes) were studied in breadmaking at a substitution level of 20% (sufficient to deliver 6 g of dietary fiber per 100 g of product, the minimum for the European Food Safety Authority high-fiber nutrition claim). Fermentation activated endogenous enzymes of bran, which together with exogenous enzymes modified the state of fiber in bran, resulting in solubilization of arabinoxylans and slight degradation of the insoluble fiber. Fermentation and enzyme treatment of bran compensated for the increased hardness (+100%) and the volume-decreasing (-21%) effect observed with untreated bran. Analysis with partial least squares regression suggested the efficacy of bioprocessing to be based on solubilization of arabinoxylans, smaller particle size of bran, lower pasting viscosity of starch, improved resistance to extension, and accelerated CO2 production.