Process induced changes in dietary fibers of grains

Background

There is clear evidence that a higher intake of dietary fibres (DF) and whole grains is associated with a decreased risk for several non-communicable diseases Nonetheless, the worldwide consumption is below the recommended intake levels and there is still a lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying the health-promoting properties of DF. In our diets, grains are a major source of DF and are usually processed prior to consumption. Additionally, alternative raw materials, oftentimes with a higher content in DF, are becoming more popular for the production of new food products such as breakfast cereals, snacks, and meat alternatives. During processing, food constituents including DF are subjected to intentional and unintentional changes which may alter the functional and health-promoting properties of the DF. Furthermore, higher contents of DF pose new technological challenges in the food production processes which may be addressed by additional pretreatments of the raw materials.