NUS Food Scientists Create Healthier, Diabetic-friendly Bread

PR63553

SINGAPORE, Feb. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

A team of food scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has

successfully formulated a recipe for making healthier bread by adding a natural

plant pigment, called anthocyanin, extracted from black rice. This new bread

option gets digested at a slower rate -- hence improving blood glucose control

-- and is high in antioxidants, among other health benefits. This is the first

study where anthocyanin extract has been fortified into a bread product, and

the findings open up new possibilities of creating healthier, diabetic-friendly

food products.

http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20151130/8521508170LOGO

Bread is a popular staple food for many people around the world. Most breads

contain a high amount of rapidly digestible starch, and hence, a high glycemic

index, making them unsuitable for diabetic patients. The excessive consumption

of bread could increase the risk of overweight and obesity, and their

associated diseases, such as Type II diabetes.

The anthocyanin-fortified bread created by NUS researchers could potentially

bring health benefits to consumers looking for a healthier option to normal

bread. The research findings were published in the journal Food Chemistry in

October 2015.

Anthocyanins belong to the group of flavonoids that are naturally occurring

pigments in fruits, such as blueberries, as well as grains and vegetables like

black rice and purple sweet potatoes. They are responsible for the orange, red,

violet, and blue colours observed in nature.

Scientific studies have shown that anthocyanins are rich in antioxidant

properties and may help prevent cardiovascular and neurological diseases,

cancer, and inflammation. Anthocyanins can also inhibit digestive enzymes,

hence reducing blood glucose levels.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Director of the Food Science and Technology Programme

at the NUS Faculty of Science, said, "Despite their benefits, the knowledge of

using anthocyanins as an ingredient in food products, particularly semi-solid

products, is very limited. Hence, we wanted to explore the feasibility of

fortifying anthocyanins into bread, to understand how it affects digestibility

and its impact on the various quality attributes of bread."

Dr Sui Xiaonan, a recent PhD graduate from the Food Science and Technology

Programme at NUS and first author of the study said, "Reducing the digestion

rate of the bread will lead to a lower glycemic index and slower absorption of

the bread's carbohydrates. This usually suggests a lower insulin demand, and

could potentially improve long-term blood glucose control."

The NUS team, led by Prof Zhou, found that digestion rates of the

anthocyanin-fortified bread reduced by 12.8 percent, when 1 per cent of

anthocyanin extract was added into the bread dough and baked at the optimal

condition of 200 degrees Celsius for 8 minutes. The digestion rate dropped

further to 20.5 per cent, with 4 per cent of anthocyanin extract.

The team also wanted to explore incorporating anthocyanins into bread to

improve its value as a health-promoting food. They had previously conducted a

study in 2014 to examine the degradation of anthocyanins during baking. They

found that more than 80 per cent of the antioxidant capacity was retained in

the bread crust and crumb, even when baked at temperatures as high as 240

degrees Celsius for up to 12 minutes.

"Our results demonstrate that it is indeed feasible to create functional food

products through anthocyanin fortification, using bread as an example. We hope

to conduct further studies to incorporate anthocyanins into other food items,

such as biscuits. Our team is also keen to explore opportunities to work with

industry partners to introduce the anthocyanin-fortified bread to the market,"

Prof Zhou said.

GOH Yu Chong

Manager, Media Relations

Office of Corporate Relations

National University of Singapore

(65) 6601-1653  

yuchong.goh@nus.edu.sg