Effect of Wheat Bran Fermentation With <i>Wickerhamomyces anomalus</i> , <i>Pediococcus pentosaceus</i> , and <i>Bacillus natto</i> on Flavor, Structure, and Processing Properties

Wheat bran is an essential by-product of wheat milling process. The dense texture and unpleasant odor of wheat bran restrict its application in food processing. To advance the high-value utilization of wheat bran, this study investigated the effects of co-culture fermentation with Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Bacillus natto on its flavor, structure, and processing properties of wheat bran. The results showed that co-culture fermentation significantly reduced the bitterness of raw wheat bran (RWB) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the co-culture fermentation process resulted in the emergence of volatile aromatic compounds. The electronic nose results confirmed that co-culture fermentation changed the flavor profile of RWB. After fermentation, the dense structure of RWB was destroyed, and the surface exhibited broken structures and holes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed a decline of the intensity of absorption peak at 3402, 2923, and 1040 cm^-1 of fermented wheat bran (FWB). The FWB addition effectively preserved the integrity of the gluten network, namely, reduced the free sulfhydryl content of dough from 1.98 to 1.35 µmoL/g (p < 0.05), increased the storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) compared to RWB addition. Finally, FWB addition improved the specific volume of Chinese steamed bread (CSB) compared to RWB and sterilized wheat bran (SWB) addition. Overall, co-culture fermentation with W. anomalus, P. pentosaceus, and B. natto is a promising method to alter the unpleasant odor and processing properties, thereby improving the employment of wheat bran in food processing.