RESUMO
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the incorporation of oat ß-glucan (OßG) on the sensory and nutritional quality of steamed bread. Wheat flour was substituted with OßG at levels varying from 0 g/100 g to 5 g/100 g. The results showed that the products containing 1 g/100 g and 3 g/100 g OßG produced a comparable overall consumer acceptance while a significantly lower score was given to the product with 5 g/100 g. Nutritionally, the presence of OßG impeded in vitro starch hydrolysis by amylolytic enzymes. More importantly, the addition of OßG up to 5 g/100 g did bring about a lower in vitro predicted glycaemic index to steamed bread, but it generated insignificant effects on the in vivo glycaemic response. The current work first demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating OßG-enriched steamed bread and its nutritional superiority compared to the corresponding normal product. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Modern methods of food elaboration and processing frequently reduce the content of dietary fiber (DF). Despite the well-known health benefits of DF consumption, average intake levels still fall far below recommended ones. Oat ß-glucan (OßG) is a kind of indigestible polysaccharide with diverse bioactivity. This article evaluated the effects of OßG incorporation on quality, structure, consumer acceptance, and glycaemic response of steamed bread. The addition of less than 3 g/100 g of OßG had negligible effects on the consumer acceptance of steamed bread. The enrichment at 5 g/100 g indeed deteriorated the consumer acceptance. Moreover, OßG highly lowered the glycaemic response of steamed bread. The current work first demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating OßG-enriched steamed bread and its nutritional superiority compared to the corresponding normal product. OßG enriched steamed bread may offer an alternative to improve DF intake of residents.