Calcium-inulin wheat bread: prebiotic effect and bone mineralisation in growing rats

Pea protein - gum Arabic gel addition as ingredient to increase protein, fiber and decrease lipid content in muffins without impair the texture and intestinal microbiota

This study evaluated the use of a protein-polysaccharide gel (PGEL) as a muffin ingredient, and its effect on the nutritional, textural, and gut microbiome profiles. PGEL was generated by complex coacervation with Pea protein and Gum Arabic. A mixture design was performed with different flour, lipids, and PGEL proportions, where Tx9 (26 % PGEL) showed improved physicochemical characteristics. Optimization was performed using 3 variables, hardness, protein content, and in vitro protein digestibility, to generate an optimal muffin with PGEL (PGEL-Muffin). PGEL-Muffin had a positive effect in its nutritional content and texture (protein: 12.03 %, fiber: 7.90 %, lipids: 9.23 %, and hardness: 4.41 N) compared to a muffin without protein addition (Control) and a muffin with added pea protein powder (Powder-Muffin). PGEL-Muffin did not modify gut microbiome using an ex-vivo system after 4-days of administration. PGEL ingredient could be an opportunity to develop nutritionally improved products without a negative impact on textural properties.

Effect of Freezing Wheat Dough Enriched with Calcium Salts with/without Inulin on Bread Quality

Bread is a popular food that is widely consumed worldwide but has a short shelf life. Besides that, when incorporating prebiotics and calcium, aging mechanisms accelerate, further shortening the shelf-life. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of freezing storage on the rheological (loss tangent, tan δ) and thermal (glass transition temperature, Tg) properties of unfrozen dough, the fermentation times (tf), and the baking quality of wheat bread fortified with calcium and inulin. Formulations studied included wheat flour (control-C), flour with 1800 ppm Ca (calcium carbonate-CA, calcium citrate-CI or calcium lactate-LA), and flour with 2400 ppm Ca and 12% inulin (calcium carbonate-CA-In, calcium citrate-CI-In or calcium lactate-LA-In). Doughs were stored at −18 °C for 1, 7, 30 and 60 days. After storage, the rheological (oscillatory rheometry and texture profile analysis) and thermomechanical properties of the thawed doughs were measured. The quality parameters of breads determined consisted of specific volume (Vs), color, moisture, firmness, elasticity, and alveoli size characterization. Dough freezing neither changed viscoelasticity (tan δ) nor decreased hardness and adhesiveness up to the values observed for fresh wheat dough. The Tg of dough with calcium carbonate increased, while for samples with organic calcium salts, it (citrate and lactate) decreased. The tf of thawed dough significantly increased. The Vs of all breads did not change during the first 30 days but decreased after freezing the dough for 60 days (p < 0.05), probably due to the death of the yeasts. Crumb moisture decreased over time, and in all cases crumb C had the highest moisture content, suggesting a dehydration effect of the calcium salt. The firmness of CA, LA and C crumbs were similar and higher than that of CI (p < 0.05), suggesting a destabilizing effect of CI anion on gluten proteins. Inulin contributed to the depreciation of bread quality, mainly at 60 days of dough freezing storage. It can be concluded that during freezing storage, calcium improves the dynamic elasticity of the dough, although under extreme conditions it generates loaves of smaller volume. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 66.5% of total variance. Principal component 1 (PC1) was associated with dough properties, and accounted for 44.8% of the total variance. In turn, PC2 was mainly related to baking quality parameters (fermentation time, browning index, firmness and springiness of crumbs), and explained 21.7% of the total variance. Fortification with calcium citrate should be recommended for dough freezing, as breads with softer crumbs were obtained under such conditions.

Effects of dietary inclusion of Lactobacillus and inulin on growth performance, gut microbiota, nutrient utilization, and immune parameters in broilers

The effects of dietary Lactobacillus (BCRC 16092) and inulin on growth performance, intestinal microflora, mineral utilization, and tissue mineral contents were evaluated in broilers. The experiment was conducted using 1,152 one-day-old broilers randomly distributed to 9 treatments in a factorial arrangement (3 × 3) using 3 levels of inulin (0, 1, and 2%) and 3 levels of Lactobacillus addition (108, 109, and 1010 CFU/kg). Broilers (1 D of age; 8 replicates per treatments and 16 broilers per replicate) with an initial body weight of 48.36 ± 0.21g were evaluated for 42 D. A 4-D mineral digestibility trial was conducted during the final week of the experiment. The results showed that Lactobacillus supplementation can increase average daily gain and nutrient digestibility and improve feed/gain in broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, Lactobacillus and inulin supplementation increased the numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, increased serum concentration of IgG and IgA, and decreased the numbers of Escherichia coli and pH in ileum and cecum. The present study demonstrated Lactobacillus and inulin fed to broilers has a positive effect on gut microbiota, growth and nutrient utilization, immune system, and mineral metabolism.

Inulin as a multifaceted (active) substance and its chemical functionalization: From plant extraction to applications in pharmacy, cosmetics and food

This review is aimed at critically discussing a collection of research papers on Inulin (INU) in different scientific fields. The first part of this work gives an overview on the main characteristics of native INU, including production, applications in food or cosmetics industries, its benefits on human health as well as its main nutraceutical properties. A particular focus is dedicated to the extraction techniques and to the specific effects of INU on intestinal microbiota. Other than in food industry, the number of INU applications increases dramatically in the pharmaceutical field especially due to its simple chemical functionalization. Thus, aim of this review is also to give practical examples of chemical functionalization performed on INU also by including critical comments based on the direct experience of the Authors. With this aim, a full paragraph is dedicated to practical chemical experiences useful to reduce the efforts when establishing new experimental conditions. Moreover, the pharmaceutical technology is also taken in special consideration by underlining the aspects leading at the preparation of formulations based on INU. At the end of the review, a critical paragraph is intended to feed the scientists' curiosity on this versatile polysaccharide.

Inulin supplementation reduces the negative effect of a high-fat diet rich in SFA on bone health of growing pigs

Consumption of a high-fat diet, rich in SFA, causes deterioration of bone properties. Some studies suggest that feeding inulin to animals may increase mineral absorption and positively affect bone quality; however, these studies have been carried out only on rodents fed a standard diet. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of inulin on bone health of pigs (using it as an animal model for humans) fed a high-fat diet rich in SFA, having an unbalanced ratio of lysine:metabolisable energy. It was hypothesised that inulin reduces the negative effects of such a diet on bone health. At 50 d of age, twenty-one pigs were randomly allotted to three groups: the control (C) group fed a standard diet, and two experimental (T and TI) groups fed a high-fat diet rich in SFA. Moreover, TI pigs consumed an extra inulin supply (7 % of daily feed intake). After 10 weeks, whole-body bone mineral content (P=0·0054) and bone mineral density (P=0·0322) were higher in pigs of groups TI and C compared with those of group T. Femur bone mineral density was highest in pigs in group C, lower in group TI and lowest in group T (P=0·001). Femurs of pigs in groups TI and C had similar, but higher, maximum strength compared with femurs of pigs in group T (P=0·0082). In conclusion, consumption of a high-fat diet rich in SFA adversely affected bone health, but inulin supplementation in such a diet diminishes this negative effect.

Effects of the intake of white wheat bread added with garlic and resistant starch: action on calcium bioavailability and metabolic parameters of growing Wistar rats

Functional bread with resistant starch and garlic improved the metabolism of calcium and lipids and the growth of beneficial gut microbiota.