Dietary Fiber Enrichment in Bakery Products: Effects on Dough Handling and Finished Product Quality

Abstract

The global trend towards increased fiber diets, which is driven by the epidemiological evidence in the linkage of fiber intake with decreased risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer, has created a market demand in fiber-enriched bakery products (Liu et al.,  2021). But the technology of adding dietary fiber (DF) to baked products is technologically challenging. In contrast to refined flour, the sources of fiber (e.g., bran, pomace, seed hulls) have unique hydration properties, disrupt gluten network development, and influence rheological behavior (Goméz and Martinez, 2018). This review critically evaluates the impact of different DF sources, such as cereal bran, fruit/vegetable pomace, legume fibers, and isolated fibers, on both dough handling properties (water absorption, mixing tolerance, stability, extensibility) and the characteristics of the finished product (specific volume, crumb texture, color, sensory attributes, shelf life). We combine the results of the past 15 years, show results in 6 comparative tables, and suggest mitigation measures such as pre-hydration, reduction in particle size, enzyme supplement, and the use of hydrocolloids (Rosell et al.,  2019). Lastly, we find research gaps in understanding fiber-starch-lipid interactions during baking and the necessity to standardize fiber characterization protocols (Zhu, 2021). The aim of this review is to inform product developers about the need to balance between nutritional fortification and sensory acceptability.

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