Strategies to Improve Whole Wheat Bread Quality

Enhancement of product quality and sensory acceptance could lead to a meaningful and sizable boost in the overall consumption of whole wheat foods. Identification of bran characteristics that are less detrimental to processing and product quality, appropriate reduction of bran particle size, pretreatment of bran to improve functional properties, and delayed incorporation of bran until full gluten development of dough are considered effective strategies for improving the quality of whole wheat bread. This article describes favorable characteristics and effective bran pretreatment methods, as well as optimal timing of bran incorporation into dough, for the production of whole wheat bread with improved processing and product quality.