Biochemical and structural attributes of wheat & corn bran hydrolysates in relation to their end use-quality

The current research investigated the nutritional composition of wheat and corn bran hydrolysates and their impact on bread quality. For this purpose, in the 1st phase wheat and corn bran were subjected to hydrothermal treatment as a pretreatment (at 121 °C for 45 min) to obtain hydrolysates. In the 2nd phase wheat and corn bran hydrolysates was characterized for their chemical composition, antioxidant potential and functional quality. Wheat bran hydrolysates were richer in protein (11.63 ± 0.13%), ash (2.16 ± 0.04%), and nitrogen-free extract (57.66 ± 1.42%), whereas corn bran hydrolysates contained higher fat (5.47 ± 0.07%), fiber (11.79 ± 0.09%), and moisture (16.32 ± 0.15%). Both wheat and corn bran hydrolysates revealed strong antioxidant potential however, wheat bran hydrolysates were richer in phenolic and flavonoids, whereas corn bran hydrolysates showed higher radical scavenging and reducing power activities. In the 3rd phase, bread was prepared using wheat flour and wheat and corn bran hydrolysates in treatments T0, T1, and T2, and subsequently evaluated for structural, textural, and sensory attributes. Structural analysis using FTIR and SEM indicates the incorporation of bran hydrolysates altered the gluten matrix, by introducing diverse functional groups and modifying the bread's microstructure. Textural analysis showed greater firmness in wheat bran hydrolysate bread (T1), which also received the highest sensory scores and overall acceptability. Thus, the results elucidated the potential of wheat and corn bran hydrolysates to improve the nutritional, structural, and sensory quality of bread for functional food applications.