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The presented study examined the influence of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), sugar beet fibre (SBF) and apple fibre (AF) incorporation coupled with adequate water levels on gluten-free (GF) batter rheology, bread quality and sensory characteristics. A Box-Behnken experimental design with independent variables: HPMC quantity (2-4 g/100 g), SBF and AF quantity (3-7 g/100 g) and water quantity (180-230 g/100 g depending on the fibre type) based on a maize flour/starch mixture was applied. GF breads with 4 g/100 g HPMC coupled with 3 g/100 g SBF and 7 g/100 g AF reached the highest specific volumes (2.44 cm 3 /g and 3.97 cm 3 /g) accompanied with the lowest crumb hardness (2.29 and 2.10 N, respectively). Appealing crust and crumb colour and good sensory characteristics were achieved in GF breads with 4 g/100 g HPMC and 3, 5 and 7 g/100 g SBF or AF. The corresponding GF breads showed enhanced fibre content (4.56-6.07 g/100 g)., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To improve the nutritional value of bread, as well as to satisfy consumers whose awareness of the importance of nutrition to preserve health is growing significantly, it is desirable to enrich bread and bakery products with functional components. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an evergreen tree that is widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and belongs to the legumes group. As carob pulp contains a unique combination of polyphenolic compounds and dietary fibre, it can be a useful raw material for the production of enriched bakery products. In this work, the possibility of applying carob extract as a potential natural preservative and functional additive in the production of bread was investigated. With this aim, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% of powdered carob extract (CP) were added to bread dough and the quality characteristics of the bread were examined. The microbiological quality of bread was significantly better in samples with the addition of CP, which was confirmed by the lower values of the total number of bacteria and the absence of the Bacillus cereus. The addition of up to 3.5% carob extract had no negative effect on the sensory quality of the bread. The brightness of the bread samples decreased (L*), while the proportion of the red tone (a*) increased, and the intensity of the yellow tone (b*) decreased with an increase in the proportion of CP. The amount of total phenols (0.27 mg GAE/g) for the sample with 3.5% CP in bread was significantly higher compared to the control sample (0.12 mg GAE/g). The total antioxidant activity also increased significantly with the increase in the proportion of CP. Therefore, the present study proves that powdered carob extract can be successfully included in the production of a healthy functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between dietary fibers and prevention of non-communicable diseases is well documented in the existing scientific literature. Despite that, most of the population still do not have enough knowledge about fibers and their presence in certain food. This study intended to make an insight in the knowledge of the Serbian young population about dietary fibers and bioactive compounds through a questionnaire survey. A survey was conducted to a sample of 173 individuals, (37% male and 63% female) randomly selected among students from elementary, high school and university in the Novi Sad municipality. Topics covered by the questionnaire included knowledge of the term dietary fiber, fiber content in different bread types, the relationship between fibers and health and bioactive compounds sources in food. The results for each of the particular topics addressed varied among studied groups, but generally level of knowledge was related to the education level. The highest overall knowledge about dietary fibers and bioactive compounds was expressed by the university students, although elementary and high school students showed a considerable level of knowledge on the subject. Male participants appeared as more familiar with the questions related to bioactive compounds, while females were more informed on questions regarding dietary fiber. This survey revealed that young population in Serbia is well informed about the contribution of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds in promoting health. However, further expansion of existing knowledge will be beneficial in order to improve general health of the entire community.

The evidenced relevance of dietary fibers (DF) as functional ingredients shifted the research focus towards their incorporation into gluten-free (GF) bread, aiming to attain the DF contents required for the manifestation of health benefits. Numerous studies addressing the inclusion of DF from diverse sources rendered useful information regarding the role of DF in GF batter's rheological properties, as well as the end product's technological and nutritional qualities. The presented comprehensive review aspires to provide insight into the changes in fiber-enriched GF batter's fundamental rheological properties, and technological, sensory, and nutritional GF bread quality from the insoluble and soluble DF (IDF and SDF) perspective. Different mechanisms for understanding IDF and SDF action on GF batter and bread were discussed. In general, IDF and SDF can enhance, but also diminish, the properties of GF batter and bread, depending on their addition level and the presence of available water in the GF system. However, it was seen that SDF addition provides a more homogenous GF batter structure, leading to bread with higher volumes and softer crumb, compared to IDF. The sensory properties of fiber-enriched GF breads were acceptable in most cases when the inclusion level was up to 7 g/100 g, regardless of the fiber type, enabling the labeling of the bread as a source of fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]