See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227692723

Baking Properties of milk

protein-coated wheat bran

Article in Journal of Food Processing and Preservation · February 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2007.00162.x

CITATIONS READS

7 88

1 author:

Charles I Onwulata
United States Department …
166 PUBLICATIONS 1,440
CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Available from: Charles I Onwulata

Retrieved on: 10 October 2016
 BAKING PROPERTIES OF MILK PROTEIN-COATED
WHEAT BRAN*

CHARLES I. ONWULATA1

Dairy Processing and Products Research Unit

Eastern Regional Research Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038

Accepted for Publication August 15, 2007

ABSTRACT

Increasing the dietary fiber content of formulated foods will benefit the
health and nutrition of consumers. The problem is that it is difficult to add
substantial amounts of dietary fiber to formulated foods. Fiber absorbs sig-
nificant amounts of water from surrounding ingredients creating texture prob-
lems such as soggy and dry patches in the foods. In this study, red wheat bran
milled and sieved smaller than 140 microns was coated by spraying with a
50/50 emulsion of whey protein isolates (WPIs) and casein. WPI and casein
emulsion was produced first by blending and shearing the milk proteins in ice
and water and then evaporating under partial vacuum for 75 min at 45C.
Cookies and muffins made with the milk protein-coated red wheat (MPCF)
bran and the noncoated wheat bran (NCF), replacing 5, 10 and 15 wt % of the
flour, were compared to control cookies and muffins made without added fiber.
The water-holding capacity (WHC) of the MPCF and NCF was determined
along with their moisture, color, hardness, and volume in the baked cookies
and muffins. There was a significant (P < 0.01) improvement (250%) in loss of
WHC of MPCF over NCF. In cookies, MPCF absorbed significantly less water
and was slightly darker at 5 wt % substitution than NCF, but was between 12
to 60% higher in baked volume than the control. MPCF muffins were lighter
in color and harder except for the 5 wt % muffins that were softer and higher
in percent baked volume. Adding up to 15-g MPCF per 100 g batter can be
added to baked cookies and muffins to increase fiber content and improve
WHC and volume.

* Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific
information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
1
Corresponding author. TEL: 215-233-6497; FAX: 215-233-6470; EMAIL: conwulata@errc.
ars.usda.gov

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 32 (2008) 24–38. All Rights Reserved.
24 © 2008, The Author(s)
Journal compilation © 2008, Blackwell Publishing
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 25

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This study determined that coating wheat bran with specially treated
dairy proteins reduced the amount of water the bran can absorb when added up
to 15 wt% to formulations, or in the finished products, helping to maintain
textural integrity of products. The intact wheat bran remains available for its
functional health enhancing roles when consumed and digested. This knowl-
edge allows the creation of nutritious high-fiber products with desirable
texture.

INTRODUCTION

As the reports of the nutritional and health benefits of consuming dietary

fibers continue to grow, effort is focused on increasing the amount, content and
quality of fibers in human diet. Consumers as well as nutrition-focused pro-
fessional organizations are demanding increased amounts of fiber in processed
foods. The results of surveys of the amount of fiber consumed by Americans
reveal that many consume less than the estimated desirable daily fiber intake.
The American Dietetic Association recommends 20–35 g/day (American
Dietetic Association Position Statement 1993), but a recent survey of dietary
fiber intake levels reports a median of 16.5 to 17.9 and 12.1 to 13.8 g/day for
men and women, respectively (Slavin 2005a).
Foods rich in fiber help with the management of a host of health condi-
tions. Associated healthful benefits of increasing fiber consumption include
reducing the risk of some types of diseases such as breast cancer and coronary
heart disease; regulating blood glucose and insulin; lowering the concentration
of blood lipids; reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease; controlling diabe-
tes; alleviating constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulitis; and managing
weight (Kritchevsky 1977; Wolk et al. 1999; Slavin 2005b).
Though it is desirable and beneficial to increase the amount of fiber in
most foods, there are considerable food processing difficulties associated
with increasing the levels of dietary fiber (DF) in manufactured foods.
Increasing the amount of DF in foods alters the textural properties of foods
(Vratanina and Zabik 1978). DFs tend to absorb and withhold water from
their surrounding environment, creating localized pockets of high moisture
and very dry areas in foods fortified with DF, thereby increasing their overall
water-holding capacity.
DF incorporated into foods absorbs water from the other components,
making the surrounding food components dry and brittle, especially the
insoluble fibers. Adding 5 to 15 g/100 g of commercial DF from sugarcane
bagasse to wheat flour decreased textural properties and sensory quality of
26 C.I. ONWULATA

wheat bread (Sangnark and Noomhorm 2004). Zhang and Moore (1997)
observed that increasing the level of unmodified insoluble DF in foods
destroyed the textural integrity by interspersing and breaking cohesive food
networks. For example, insoluble DF from wheat bran incorporated into wheat
bread resulted in reduced volume (Lai et al. 1989). Large amounts of insoluble
fibers cannot be used in foods such as drinks, yogurt or in unmodified pasta
(Brennan et al. 2004; Dello Staffolo et al. 2004).
Current levels of insoluble DF fortification in breads and cookies on the
market are less than 3%. Fiber levels in foods could be increased a hundred
fold if their water-holding capacity potential were reduced. Sangnark and
Noomhorm (2003) reported that an effort to fortify wheat bread with unmodi-
fied insoluble dietary at levels between 5 to 15 g/100 g resulted in significantly
decreased expansion, stickiness of dough, as well as decreased loaf volume,
specific volume, firmness, springiness and sensory acceptance. Modifying the
property of insoluble wheat bran by coating with specially linked milk proteins
would reduce its water-binding property and allow for incorporating specially
modified DF into foods in large quantities in baked goods such as cookies and
muffins without significant adverse textural effects. Therefore, the objective of
this study was to determine the physical and textural property effects of using
milk protein-coated wheat bran to fortify cookies and muffins.

MATERIALS

Coarse stabilized red wheat bran (product number: 02-12-RC) was pur-
chased from Canadian Harvest Process, Ltd. (Ontario, Canada). Calcium
caseinate (Alanate 391) and whey protein isolate (Alacen 895) were purchased
from New Zealand Milk Products, Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA). The proximate
compositions of the materials were as follows: wheat bran, moisture 5.6%;
protein, 17.2%; total DF, 53.9% (insoluble fiber, 51.0% and soluble fiber,
2.9%); calcium caseinate, protein, 92.0%; moisture 4.0%; ash, 3.4%; fat,
1.2%; and lactose, 0.3%; whey protein concentrate, protein, 94.0%; moisture
3.9%; ash, 1.6%; fat, 0.5%; and lactose, 0.5%.

METHODS

Protein-Coated Wheat Bran

The red wheat bran was sieved and particles that passed through a 140-
micron sieve were coated and used for the baking studies. The calcium
caseinate/whey protein isolate (50/50, w/w) emulsions were prepared through
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 27

a caseinate dispersion method (Strange and Konstance 1991). The 50/50

calcium caseinate/whey protein isolate slurries were prepared using 10 g of
calcium caseinate and 10 g of whey protein isolate. The 20 g of milk proteins
was mixed with 320 g of finely crushed ice in a blender for 24 s, using a
Waring Lab Micronizer (Waring Products Division, New Hartford, CT). The
milk proteins and ice mixture blend were dissolved in 800 mL deionized water.
The milk protein slurries were blended using a PCU-2 high shear homogenizer
(Brinkman Instruments, Westbury, NY) for 4 min. The homogenized protein
slurries were evaporated to form milk protein gels by heating at 45C under
partial vacuum (5.2 MPa) in a Rotary Evaporator Model RE-52 (Yamata
Scientific Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan) for 75 min. Aliquots of milk protein gels
(~180 g) were collected after evaporation. This procedure was repeated until
1 L of milk protein gel solution was obtained. Moisture content of the milk
protein gels was determined immediately using a Sartorius Moisture Analyzer
MA51 (Edgewood, NY). To create milk protein-coated DF, 4 g of stabilized
red wheat bran with particle size less than 150 microns was mixed with 100-g
milk protein gel (11% solids) and spray dried in a Niro Atomizer (APV Niro,
MA). The wheat bran and milk protein gels were atomized at 25,000 rpm and
dried with inlet/outlet temperatures of 208/102C. The milk protein-coated
fiber (MPCF) powder was collected and stored at 4C.

Baking Studies

Formulations. Sugar-snap cookies (AACC 1983) and muffins were

selected for our baking trials. MPCF or noncoated wheat bran (NCF) was
substituted weight-for-weight for flour in the modified formulations listed in
Table 1. Formulations are presented on a flour basis. Crisco (Church &
Dwight, Princeton, NJ) served as the vegetable shortening for all control
formulations. Fluid whole milk (3.2% milk fat), fresh eggs, double-acting
baking powder (Rumford, Church & Dwight), baking soda (Arm & Hammer,
Church & Dwight), salt and vanilla were purchased at a local supermarket.
Glucose solution (5.6%) was prepared from glucose powder and water. A 4.4-L
mixing bowl (Kitchen Aid Model K5SS, Hobart, Troy, OH) was used for all
dough preparations. Metal or plastic gauge strips were prepared to fit a poly-
ethylene cutting board or metal cookie sheet to control thickness of the rolled
dough. All products were baked in a Despatch Rotary Oven Model 150
(Despatch Industries, Inc., Minneapolis, MN) equipped with a single revolving
shelf.

Cookies. Sugar, salt, baking soda and shortening were creamed 3 min on
the low setting of the mixer. Glucose solution was added and the mixture
blended for 1 min. Flour mixed with MPCF or NCF was added and the dough
28 C.I. ONWULATA

TABLE 1.
FORMULATIONS FOR COOKIES AND MUFFINS*

Ingredients % MPCF or NCF

Cookies†

Control 5 10 15

All purpose flour 100 95 90 85

Sucrose 57.8 — — —
Vegetable shortening 28.4 — — —
Dextrose solution 14.7 — — —
Water 13.3 — — —
Vanilla extract 2.7 — — —
Baking soda 1.1 — — —
Salt 0.9 — — —
Wheat bran — 5 10 15
Muffins‡
All purpose flour 100 95 90 85
Fluid whole milk 75.6 — — —
Whole egg 26.0 — — —
Sucrose 21.1 — — —
Vegetable shortening 21.1 — — —
Water 8.3 — — —
Baking powder 4.3 — — —
Salt 2.1 — — —
Wheat bran — 5 10 15

* Three batches of each formulation were prepared. All formula-

tions are on flour basis; to formulate a full batch, multiply recipe
with conversion factors 2.42 and 2.25, for cookies and muffins,
respectively. All formulations contain baking soda, salt, dextrose
solution and vanilla at levels of 1.1, 0.9, 14.7 and 2.7%, respec-
tively, flour basis. Vegetable shortening was melted before blend-
ing into the dough.
† Baking at 230C for 10 min.
‡ Baking at 230C for 35 min.

was blended until a ball formed (about 30 s). Cookie dough was turned out
onto a greased cookie sheet and rolled to a thickness of 0.70 cm, using gauge
strips. Circles of 7.0-cm diameter were cut out and the excess dough lifted
away from the cookies which were then baked at 230C for 15 min. Baked
cookies were cooled to ambient temperature on wire racks, measured to
calculate mean diameter and height, packed and stored as reported previously.
Eight cookies were obtained per batch; three replicates were prepared.

Muffins. Dry ingredients were blended for 1 min. Liquid ingredients

were added, blended for 15 s, scraped down with a spatula and blended for
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 29

another 15 s. Sixty-eight grams of aliquots was scaled into nine holes, each
6.4 cm in diameter, of a 12-hole muffin tin previously sprayed with a flour–oil
mixture. Sixty milliliters of water was measured into each empty hole. Muffins
were baked at 230C for 24 min. Muffins were cooled briefly in the pans, turned
out on wire racks and cooled to ambient temperature. The muffins were packed
in a single layer in freezer bags and stored frozen until analyzed. Nine muffins
were obtained per batch. Three batches were prepared for analysis.

Physical Determinations

Moisture content was determined as per Method #925.09 (AOAC

2000), using a vacuum oven. Water-holding capacity tests were completed
on the fibers before and after coating. Two grams of both wheat bran
products was placed in centrifuge tubes. Twenty milliliters of distilled water
was added to the tubes and stirred with the fibers. After standing for 20 min,
the tubes were centrifuged using Sorvall Instruments EconoSpin (Dupont
Instruments, Wilmington, DE) for 5 min at 25C. Afterward, the excess water
was discarded and the tubes inverted an additional 5 min. The tubes were
weighed and water-holding capacities calculated as follows: ([weight gain of
fiber/dry weight] ¥ 100).
Protein content of cookies and muffins was determined using the FP-2000
nitrogen analyzer (LECO Corporation, St. Joseph, MI). A protein conversion
factor of 5.70 ¥ N was used.
Color measurements of cookies and muffins were evaluated instrumen-
tally with a Gardner infrared spectrophotometer Model TCM (BYK-Gardner,
Inc., Silver Spring, MD) equipped with illuminant A. Calibration values were
L, 98.34; a, -0.21; b, 0.19. Hunter L, a and b values were obtained directly
from quadruplicate measurements. Specimens were rotated 90C after each
observation.
Mean particle size distribution of the control and milk protein-coated
wheat bran specimens was determined. Each specimen was analyzed using the
Accusizer Optical Particle Sizer model 770 (Particle Sizing Systems, Santa
Barbara, CA).

Mechanical Testing. Instrumental texture profile analysis of cookies

and muffins was performed at 25C with an Instron Universal Testing
Machine Model 4201, (Instron, Inc., Canton, MA) equipped with either a
50- or 500-N compression load cell. Specimens were compressed at a cross-
head speed of 10 cm/min. The Instron Cyclic Foam Compression Test
Software was used for data acquisition and control during the tests. Force–
time curves were analyzed for hardness, springiness and cohesiveness
30 C.I. ONWULATA

as described by Bourne (1978). In preparation for testing, muffins were

returned to their tins while frozen and the tops sliced off evenly. Plugs
30 mm high ¥ 48 mm in diameter were cut from the centers of the muffins
while frozen with a metal cylinder. Specimens were wrapped tightly in
plastic wrap and equilibrated to room temperature for 2 h before texture
analysis, where the cores were compressed to 40% of their original height.
Whole cookies were compressed to only 20% of their height. Thickness and
diameter were determined with a vernier caliper (four measurements, rotat-
ing 90°/per specimen). Four replicates were prepared.

Volume Measurements. Volume displacement was taken as the primary

indicator of baking performance for cookies and muffins. The volumes, deter-
mined by glass bead displacement in a 500-mL plastic container, were taken
24 h after baking. The specific volume of the glass beads used was
0.654 cm3/g. Displaced volume was determined for eight specimens of each of
the three replicates of cookies and muffins (24 determinations of each
product).
Freshly thawed wheat bran cookies and muffins (about 1–2 mL each)
were cut and dialyzed against 10 mL of 5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M imidazole
HCl buffer (pH 7.0) 12 h at RT. Specimens of Whey Protein Concentrate
(WPC) were removed from tubing (small specimen held aside in glutaralde-
hyde for embedding/thin sectioning) and washed in imidazole buffer. Speci-
mens were dehydrated for 12 h in 50% ethanol and absolute ethanol, and
immersed in liquid nitrogen. Specimen fragments in nitrogen were removed
and quickly thawed in ethanol and stored overnight. The next day, specimens
were critical point dried in carbon dioxide, mounted on aluminum stubs with
colloidal silver adhesive, and sputter coated with a thin layer of gold and
examined in scanning electron microscope (Model JSM840A, JEOL USA,
Peabody, MA) operated in the secondary electron imaging mode at an instru-
mental magnification of 10,000¥. Digital images were collected with an Model
IMIX1 workstation (Princeton Gamma-Tech, Princeton, NJ).

RESULTS

Moisture, particle sizes and water-holding capacity of NCF and MPCF

are presented in Table 2. The mainly significant difference (P < 0.01) in the
physical properties was in the water-holding capacity of wheat bran, dramati-
cally reduced (>250%) by applying a milk protein coating. Other significant
differences were the reduction in particle size, and changes in shape of the
MPCF particles (Fig. 1), perhaps because of the shear force of atomizing
(25,000 rpm) wheat bran fibers through a 2-mm-orifice atomizer.
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 31

TABLE 2.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF UNCOATED WHEAT BRAN AND MILK
PROTEIN-COATED WHEAT BRAN

Product Moisture (%) Mean particle size (mm) Water-holding capacity (%)

Wheat bran 2.3 13.7 226

(0.5) (1.2) (2.0)
Protein-coated bran 6.5 7.6 64
(0.5) (1.2) (1.5)

Numbers underneath with brackets are SDs.

FIG. 1. SCANNING ELECTRON MICROGRAPHS OF UNCOATED WHEAT BRAN (A) AND

MILK PROTEIN-COATED WHEAT BRAN (B)

Cookies
The physical properties of the cookies made with NCF or MPCF are
presented in Table 3. Cookies with NCF were typically higher in moisture than
the control except for an anomaly, 10 wt % NCF. In general, cookies made
with NCF or MPCF were high in moisture. But mostly, MPCF cookies con-
tained more moisture than NCF. At the elevated wheat bran content, the MPCF
cookies had high moisture content. Cookies are generally low-moisture prod-
ucts and overall moisture ranged only from 6.1% control, to 15 wt % MPCF at
10.1; the mean was 7.6%.
Cookies made with MPCF contained 14 to 45% more protein compared
to those with ordinary wheat bran as a result of the protein coating process.
The total color difference of the cookies baked with MPCF was smaller
than the control; low total color difference indicates darker color. High total
color difference, DE, indicates lighter color. Generally, the protein-coated
wheat bran cookies were darker than either control or the NCF. Darker cookies
32 C.I. ONWULATA

TABLE 3.
PROPERTIES OF COOKIES CONTAINING THREE LEVELS OF UNCOATED WHEAT BRAN
AND MILK PROTEIN-COATED WHEAT BRAN

Moisture % Protein % Color DE Hardness N Displaced volume cm3

Control 6.1 6.4 50.5 18.5 21.7

5 8.8 6.5 48.8 11.2 20.6
10 5.9 6.4 49.7 32.5 18.7
15 7.6 6.8 49.7 33.7 11.1
Milk protein-coated fiber
5 7.5 7.3 46.0 25.8 24.2
10 7.3 8.7 47.8 37.4 23.3
15 10.1 9.3 48.0 33.2 17.8
PSD 1.0 0.3 1.2 1.6 1.7

PSD, pooled standard deviation.

FIG. 2. PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF COOKIES BAKED WITH UNCOATED WHEAT

BRAN (CONTROL) AND THREE SELECTED AMOUNTS OF MILK PROTEIN-COATED
WHEAT BRAN

may reflect browning because of Maillard-type reactions with whey proteins

and sugars.
Cookies containing wheat bran were harder than the control, except for
5 wt % NCF, which was softer. Naturally, the inclusion fiber changes textural
properties. In this study, inclusion of wheat bran increased hardness of cookies.
Baked cookie volume is an important indicator of ingredient performance
and subsequent acceptance by consumers. As the content of wheat bran
increased, the volume of the baked cookies decreased (Fig. 2). At 5, 10 and
15% added bran, decreases of 5, 14 and 49% in the volume were observed.
MPCF cookies increased in volume over both the control and NCF, being
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 33

FIG. 3. PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF COOKIES BAKED WITH UNCOATED WHEAT BRAN

(CONTROL) AND THREE SELECTED AMOUNTS OF MILK PROTEIN-COATED WHEAT
BRAN, SHOWING DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND PORES

approximately 12% larger in volume than the control and 17% larger in
volume than the NCF. However, displaced volumes for the protein-coated
wheat bran cookies were smaller as the amount of NCF added increased.
Comparing cookie volume at 15 wt % fiber level, MPCF cookies were 60%
larger in volume than the cookies containing uncoated bran (Fig. 3).

Muffins
Physical properties of muffins containing selected amounts of NCF or
MPCF are presented in Table 4. The moisture content of muffins containing
the coated and uncoated wheat bran was larger than of the control, but the
moisture content of muffins made with the MPCF was smaller than the mois-
ture content of the NCF muffins, and was significantly (P < 0.05) smaller at
10 wt % MPCF than NCF. Moisture uptake was uniformly large, but the
reduction in moisture uptake with the MPCF was significant (P < 0.05). With
muffins, a higher moisture product than cookies, the effect of milk protein
coating on moisture becomes more apparent (Fig. 4).
The protein content of the wheat bran muffins was only slightly larger
than of the control muffins. Muffins containing the MPCF were larger in
protein content as the MPCF cookies were, reflecting the added protein from
the coating process.
Total color difference varied with the muffins at the selected amounts of
wheat bran added. At 5 and 10 wt % respectively, the wheat bran muffins were
34 C.I. ONWULATA

TABLE 4.
PROPERTIES OF MUFFINS CONTAINING THREE LEVELS OF UNCOATED WHEAT BRAN
AND MILK PROTEIN-COATED WHEAT BRAN

Moisture % Protein % Color DE Hardness N Displaced volume cm3

Control 36.4 6.9 46.7 1.6 73.9

5 40.2 7.4 35.8 1.4 89.5
10 40.7 7.1 45.2 1.8 77.0
15 40.1 7.5 49.7 2.0 80.8
Milk protein-coated fiber
5 38.7 8.2 50.2 1.4 85.4
10 36.6 8.5 31.8 1.9 85.4
15 38.1 9.5 70.9 2.0 79.5
PSD 1.4 0.4 1.4 0.5 2.2

PSD, pooled standard deviation.

FIG. 4. PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF MUFFINS BAKED WITH UNCOATED WHEAT

BRAN (CONTROL) AND THREE SELECTED AMOUNTS OF MILK PROTEIN-COATED
WHEAT BRAN

darker than the control, but was lighter in color at 15 wt %. At both the 5 and
15 wt % amounts, the muffin containing protein-coated wheat bran was lighter
in color than control muffins or the NCF. There was an anomalous result at
the 10% level where muffins containing the protein-coated fiber were darker
than the control muffins. The interaction of wheat bran, protein and water
might explain these differences. No apparent trend in color difference was
determined.
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 35

In general, cookies and muffins containing wheat bran products of both

kinds were harder than the control, except at the 5 wt % amounts which were
slightly, but not significantly, softer than the control. The trend of increased
hardness with increasing addition of wheat bran reported previously was
observed.
Cookies and muffins containing wheat bran products were generally
larger in volume than the controls. Unlike cookies, muffins are high-moisture
products, and both forms of wheat bran used (MPCF or NCF) absorbed more
moisture and increased in displaced volume compared to the control (Table 4).
The increase in volume may be a result of swollen wheat bran fibers from
increased moisture.

DISCUSSION

A reduction in the water absorption capacity of wheat bran coated with

the milk protein was observed. The NCF, like MPCF, composed of relatively
fine particles (<149 microns), absorbed more water than the protein-coated
fiber. Coating of wheat bran with proteins creates a film and reduces the
amount of water absorbed by the bran. The MPCF contained more protein than
the NCF, and increased the whey protein content in cookies and muffins. The
addition of MPCF increased cookie and muffin volume, contrary to previous
studies which reported a decrease in volume, especially when proteins from
whey concentrates were added in quantities greater than 2 wt % (Guy et al.
1974). Denaturation or modification of whey protein improves baking quality
(Sanchez et al. 1984). The spray-drying process used to make MPCF dena-
tured the whey proteins selected to coat the wheat bran fibers. The milk
proteins were denatured in the process of coating the wheat bran and resulted
in improved cookie and muffin characteristics.
The absorption of water in cookies and muffins formulated with both NCF
and MPCF affected the physical characteristics of the dough and the baked
cookies and muffins. Water content of baked cookies and muffins is important
because of gelatinization of starch during heating. Starch gelatinization during
baking occurs over a narrow water activity range (Ablett et al. 1985). The
addition of wheat bran into bread dough systems increased water absorption
(Zhang and Moore 1997). Added wheat bran can be detrimental to loaf volume
(Cadden 1987). Addition of between 5- to 15-g sugarcane fiber into wheat flour
reduced the expansion, breaking strength, stickiness of dough, volume and
firmness of bread loaf significantly (Sangnark and Noomhorm 2004).
The color of baked cookies and muffins containing wheat bran became
darker as the amount of bran added increases. Zhang and Moore (1997)
reported a darkening of the color of dough when wheat bran was added.
36 C.I. ONWULATA

Darkening of baked sugar-snap cookies by the presence of wheat bran was

reported (Vratanina and Zabik 1978). Adding wheat bran fiber darkened
cookies and muffins, except in muffins containing 5 and 15 wt % MPCF. The
darkening of baked products containing wheat bran can be alleviated by
coating the DF with milk proteins.
Firmness of baked goods is an indicator of their textural quality. Vra-
tanina and Zabik (1978), reported an increase in crispness of high-fiber
cookies associated with increasing hardness. Decreasing hardness (breaking
force) indicates a less crisp cookie. In this study, cookies baked with MPCF
were firmer and crispier.
Adding DF to baked cookies and muffins is known to decrease the
volume. Zhang and Moore (1997) reported that wheat bran in bread reduced
the volume. In this study, adding fiber increased cookie volume. The volume
of muffin products decreased when NCF was added, but increased at 5 and
10% addition of MPCF to muffins. The exception was at 15% where volume
decreased.
The increase or decrease in volume of muffins containing wheat bran may
be related to moisture absorption by the wheat bran. In dry cookies, volume
increases because the fiber acts as spacers in the structure (Fig. 3). In high-
moisture muffins, the fiber acts as a sponge to absorb the surrounding water,
thereby reducing the volume of the muffins. By coating the wheat bran fiber
with whey protein, the volume and moisture of muffins increase.
There is a wide acceptance of baked cookies and muffins containing
wheat bran for health appeal. Muffins containing up to 30 wt % wheat bran
was rated as acceptable by a trained sensory panel (Golden et al. 1995).
Cookies containing 20 wt % wheat bran were acceptable to a consumer panel
(Vratanina and Zabik 1978). Another consumer panel rated the sensory prop-
erties of cookies containing wheat bran as acceptable, identifying a smoother
crust and a less gritty mouthfeel (Zhang and Moore 1997). It is expected that
cookies and muffins containing milk protein-coated wheat bran will be accept-
able to consumers.

CONCLUSIONS

Functionality of wheat bran was improved by coating with milk proteins.

Reduction in volume, a negative effect typically associated with adding wheat
bran to baked goods such as muffins, was mitigated by the coating process.
Muffin volume increased 12 to 17%. Also, the textural properties of baked
cookies and muffins such as hardness improved as the protein-coated wheat
bran was added, making crispier cookies and softer muffins. By minimizing
the negative effects on quality of incorporating fiber in foods, more fiber-
enriched baked goods can be provided to consumers.
 MODIFIED DIETARY FIBER PROPERTIES 37

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Mr. Richard Stoler for assistance with the texture
analysis, Ms. Wendy Iwanshyn for preparing specimens for protein coating
and Ms. Elena Dreyzin for baking the cookies and muffins.

REFERENCES

AACC. 1983. AACC Method 10-50D, Revised 10/3/84. In Approved Methods

of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Vol. 1 (B. Grami, ed.)
American Association of Cereal Chemists, St. Paul, MN.
ABLETT, S., ATTENBURROW, G.E. and LILLFORD, P.J. 1985. The sig-
nificance of water in the baking process. In Chemistry and Physics of
Baking (J.M.V. Blanshard, P.J. Frazier and T. Galliard, eds.) pp. 30–41,
The Royal Society of Chemistry, London, England.
AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION POSITION STATEMENT. 1993.
Health implications of dietary fiber. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 93, 1446–
1447.
AOAC. 2000. Official Methods of Analysis, 14th ed. Association of Official
Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.
BOURNE, M.C. 1978. Texture profile analysis. Food Technol. 32, 62–66.
BRENNAN, C.S., KURI, V. and TUDORICA, C.M. 2004. Inulin-enriched
pasta: Effects on textural properties and starch degradation. Food Chem.
86, 189–193.
CADDEN, A. 1987. Comparative effects of particle size reduction on physical
structure and water binding properties of several plant fibers. J. Food Sci.
52(6), 1595–1599, 1631.
DELLO STAFFOLO, M., BERTOLA, N., MARTINO, M. and BEVILAC-
QUA, A. 2004. Influence of dietary fiber addition on sensory and rheo-
logical properties of yogurt. Int. Dairy J. 14, 263–268.
GOLDEN, J.S., TOMA, R.B., TUVESON, R.V. and KELLETT, C.E. 1995. A
comparative evaluation on high fiber muffins. Ecology Food Nutr. 33,
195–202.
GUY, E.J., VETTEL, H.E. and PALLANSCH, M.J. 1974. Effect of cheese
whey protein concentrate on the baking quality and rheological charac-
teristics of sponge doughs made from hard red spring wheat flour. Cereal
Sci. Today 19(12), 551–556.
KRITCHEVSKY, D. 1977. Cereal fiber and lipidemia. Cereal Foods World
42(2), 81–85.
LAI, C.S., HOSENEY, R.C. and DAVIS, A.B. 1989. Effects of wheat bran in
breadmaking. Cereal Chem. 66(3), 217–219.
38 C.I. ONWULATA

SANCHEZ, H.D., DE LA TORRE, M.A., OSCELLA, C.A., MANU-

CUELLO, J.C. and FABRE, H.C. 1984. Whey protein concentrates in
baking. I. Effect on rheological properties. Bakers Digest 58(5), 18–20.
SANGNARK, A. and NOOMHORM, A. 2003. Effect of particle sizes on
functional properties of dietary fibre prepared from sugarcane bagasse.
Food Chem. 80, 221–229.
SANGNARK, A. and NOOMHORM, A. 2004. Effect of dietary fiber from
sugarcane bagasse and sucrose on dough and bread properties. Lebensm.-
Wiss. Technol. 37, 697–704.
SLAVIN, J.L. 2005a. Dietary fiber: Classification, chemical analyses, and food
sources. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 87(9), 1164–1168, 1171.
SLAVIN, J.L. 2005b. Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition 21, 411–418.
STRANGE, E.D. and KONSTANCE, R.P. 1991. A rapid method for labora-
tory preparation of high solids casein and caseinate dispersions. J. Dairy
Sci. 74, 1181–1186.
VRATANINA, D.L. and ZABIK, M.E. 1978. Dietary fiber sources for baked
products: Bran in sugar-snap cookies. J. Food Sci. 43(5), 1590–1594.
WOLK, A., MANSON, J.E., STAMPFER, M.J., HU, F.B., SPIEZER, F.E.,
HENNEKSENS, C.H. and WILLETT, W.C. 1999. Long-term intake of
dietary fiber and decreased risk of coronary heart disease among women.
JAMA 281(21), 1998–2004.
ZHANG, D. and MOORE, W.R. 1997. Effect of wheat bran particle size on
dough rheological properties. J. Sci. Food Agric. 74, 490–496.