FORTIFYING BREAD WITH A MIXTURE OF WHEAT FIBER AND PSYLLIUM HUSK FIBER PLUS 3 ANTIOXIDANTS

A 7:3 (w/w) mixture of wheat fiber (WF) and psyllium husk fiber (PHF) was substituted for 10wt% of flour on a 14% mb, and the protein in the blend was restored to 10.3% by incorporating vital wheat gluten. Afte r adding 0.5% sodium stearoyl 2-lactylate, the blend (100 g) was forti fied with a combination of fat-coated ascorbic acid (AsA), protein-enc ased (PE) beta-carotene, and cold-water-dispersible (CWD) all-rac-alph a-tocopheryl acetate (ToAc) at levels of 72, 5.6, and 115 mg, respecti vely, of active material. Adding the fiber ingredients to the pup loaf formula increased water absorption 25% and mixing time 50% and impart ed stickiness to the dough. The fiber and antioxidant bread showed a 1 0% reduction in loaf volume and a somewhat inferior crumb grain with a n off-color caused by small, black specks on a dark gray background. T he crumb of the fiber and antioxidant bread remained much softer than control bread during one to seven days of storage at room temperature. Caramel coloring masked the off-color. AsA was lost significantly fas ter in the fiber and antioxidant bread than in antioxidant bread; the losses of AsA were 97 and 86%, respectively, after three days at 25 de grees C. Approximately 25% of beta-carotene was lost from the fiber an d antioxidant bread after three days, and 33% after seven days, but th e loss of ToAc was <10%. One serving size (one slice, 28 g) of fiber a nd antioxidant bread was calculated to provide 2.1 g of dietary fiber, or similar to 8% of daily value, of which similar to 30% was soluble. The three-day-old slice also contained vitamin E and vitamin A (as be ta-carotene) at 120-150% and 12-15%, respectively, of the adult recomm ended daily allowances, but with 16% fewer calories than white pan bre ad.