Study supports potential of inulin for fibre boost in bread

Replacing 5 per cent of the flour in bread with inulin could boost the nutritional content of white bread without detrimental effects on the sensorial profile, says a new study.

Italian researchers report in the Journal of Cereal Science that both inulin ST (Raftiline ST, Orafti) and inulin HP (Raftiline HP, Orafti)

“The present study has indicated that breads made with about 5% inulin ST and HP had high sensory acceptance,” wrote Donatella Peressini and Alessandro Sensidoni from the University of Udine.

“Therefore, the addition of inulin could be an effective way to produce functional white flour bread without changing negatively its desirable physical properties.

“Further studies are needed to evaluate changes in fibre-enriched bread characteristics during storage,” they concluded.

Source: Journal of Cereal Science March 2009, Volume 49, Issue 2, Pages 190-201 “Effect of soluble dietary fibre addition on rheological and breadmaking properties of wheat doughs” Authors: D. Peressini, A. Sensidoni