Development and evaluation of oat β-glucan enriched white wheat bread: physicochemical properties, sensory acceptance and effects on cardiometabolic risk markers in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects with overweight/obesity.

Abstract

Cereal β-glucans are recognized for their positive health-promoting effects, including hypocholesterolemic and postprandial glucose-lowering properties. In this study, a β-glucan-enriched white wheat bread (OBG) was developed (2.1 g per 100 g) and characterized regarding its physicochemical and sensory properties. The effect of daily consumption of OBG on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, inflammation and oxidative stress in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects with overweight/obesity (LDL-C 115-170 mg dL^-1, BMI 25-35 kg m^-2) following a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet was evaluated compared to an isocaloric white wheat bread (WWB). OBG dough showed higher viscosity, elasticity, and hardness than WWB dough (p < 0.05). OBG bread was more yellowish, had lower specific volume and surface porosity, and received higher scores for most sensory attributes (p < 0.05). At the end of the intervention, both groups exhibited reduced body weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences (p < 0.05). Fat mass decreased more in the OBG group (p < 0.05), whereas fat-free mass decreased only in the WWB group (p < 0.05). Compared to the WWB group, the OBG group achieved greater percentage reductions in fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C (p < 0.05) with a similar trend for apolipoprotein B (p = 0.071). C-reactive protein decreased in both groups, with a greater reduction in the OBG group, while total antioxidant capacity increased only in the OBG group (p < 0.05). Systematic consumption of OBG improved the metabolic profile, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers, thus enhancing the beneficial effects of a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet alone. OBG showed acceptable physicochemical characteristics and high sensory scores, highlighting its feasibility as a functional food suitable for everyday consumption. These findings suggest that incorporation of oat β-glucan-enriched bread into a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet may provide additional cardiometabolic benefits.