Dough extrusion of apple and cereal by-products flours: A path to healthier breakfast cereals

Abstract

Dietary fibre plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, yet global consumption remains below the recommended intake of 25 g per day, as advised by both the FAO and EFSA. While breakfast cereal products (BCPs) are a popular global food choice, they often require reductions in sugar and sodium, alongside an increase in fibre content. Fruit and vegetable by-products, however, offer a sustainable source of fibre-rich flours, providing a potential solution to this challenge. This study aimed to develop innovative, fibre-enriched BCPs using just two ingredients: apple by-product flour and wheat or rice bran. These ingredients were mixed, hydrated, and stabilized overnight before being processed in an extruder-style pasta maker. Finaly, the extrudates were dried at a mild temperature (50 °C). The effect of roasting (180 °C for 4 min) on the final product was also evaluated. The resulting BCPs were not only sensory appealing, as confirmed by a Focus Group tasting session, but also extremely high in fibre, with final formulations containing at least 26 % fibre. Furthermore, these products meet European regulations to be labelled as 'very low sodium' and 'contains naturally occurring sugars.' Beyond their nutritional profile, these BCPs exhibited antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. This research demonstrates that it is feasible to create both health-conscious and delicious breakfast cereals using minimal ingredients and common processing methods like cold extrusion and roasting, which can enhance the bioactive properties of the ingredients.