Chemical characterization and Nutritional quality assessment of Whole Grain Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Cereals within the Context of Traditional Dietary Patterns

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (RTEBCs) have become an important component of modern food systems due to changes in ‎lifestyle, urbanization, and increased demand for convenience foods. The growing consumption of such products emphasizes the ‎need for nutritionally balanced alternatives compatible with traditional dietary patterns. The present study evaluated the chemical ‎composition and nutritional quality of whole-grain RTEBCs produced from a multigrain blend and processed using microwave, ‎ultrasound, and solar drying technologies. Proximate composition, mineral content, β-glucan level, amino acid profile, and fatty ‎acid composition were determined. The formulated RTEBCs exhibited low moisture contents (3.65–8.68%), indicating good shelf ‎stability, and were characterized by high levels of carbohydrates (79.00–81.59%), protein (10.07–13.08%), and dietary fiber ‎‎(3.87–5.12%). Considerable amounts of minerals were detected, particularly potassium (253.95–425.79 mg/100 g), magnesium ‎‎(96.66–160.41 mg/100 g), phosphorus (230.08–380.62 mg/100 g), iron (1.95–5.68 mg/100 g), and zinc (1.25–3.46 mg/100 g). ‎The β-glucan content remained consistently high (5.41–5.94%), enabling a 50 g serving to meet the FDA-recommended daily ‎intake. Amino acid analysis showed that most essential amino acids met or exceeded FAO/WHO/UN reference patterns, although ‎lysine and sulfur-containing amino acids were limiting. The lipid fraction was predominantly composed of unsaturated fatty acids ‎‎(83.81–86.83%), with linoleic and oleic acids as the major components. Processing methods significantly affected nutrient ‎retention, with microwave and ultrasound treatments combined with oven drying providing superior preservation compared with ‎solar drying. Overall, the developed whole-grain RTEBCs demonstrated high nutritional quality and functional potential, ‎supporting their suitability as healthier alternatives to conventional fast-food breakfast products‎