Potential utilization of bulgur bran as a source of dietary fiber in cookies

Background and objectives In this study, the utilization of bulgur bran as a fiber source in cookies was investigated. Different levels of bulgur bran (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) with different particle sizes (200 mu m, 400 mu m, 850 mu m) were blended with flour, and the blends were evaluated for dietary fiber and phytic acid content. Also, the effect of bulgur bran on the rheological properties of dough and the physical, structural, and sensory properties of cookies were investigated. Findings Bulgur bran increased the amounts of dietary fiber in cookies significantly, depending on the addition rate. The addition of bulgur bran increased the phytic acid content of cookies. The water absorption, dough development time, and stability of the farinograms increased as the rate of incorporation and particle size of bulgur bran increased. As the particle size and bran levels increased in mixtures, cookie thickness increased, but the spread ratio decreased, and cookies became darker in color. The addition of bulgur bran increased the breaking strength of cookies. Sensory evaluation showed that as the particle size of the participating bran increased, consumer acceptability was reduced. It was concluded that acceptable cookies could be obtained by incorporating bulgur bran at rates lower than 10% in the formulation. Conclusion As a result, it was determined that bulgur bran contained high amount of dietary fiber, whereas it contained low amount of phytic acid. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative to other cereal brans, both in terms of functionality and human health. Significance and novelty Findings of this study revealed useful information on chemical composition of bulgur bran and utilization in cookies. These results showed that bulgur bran could be used as a good source of fiber for different products in the bakery industry.