CONSUMPTION OF HIGH-FIBER FOODS HAS BEEN LINKED TO REDUCED INCIDENCE OF OBESITY, YET THEIR ACCEPTANCE IS LOW DUE TO POOR SENSORY QUALITIES SUCH AS BEING OVERLY GRITTY AND DENSE. THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE VAST MAJORITY OF PRODUCTS TO BE MADE WITH REFINED GRAINS THAT LACK THE NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF INSOLUBLE FIBER.THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE THE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE INTERNATIONS BETWEEN THE INSOLUBLE FIBER AND THE STARCH ON BOTH A MACRO AND MICRO LEVELS. THE UNDERSTADING WILL BE FURTHER USED TO DEVELOP AND TEST STARATEGIES TO MAKE HIGH FIBER EXTRUDED PRODUCTS THAT WOULD STILL RETAIN THE SENSORY ATTRIBUTES THAT THE CONSUMERS DESIRE. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS RESEARCH CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE FOOD INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS WITH HIGHER FIBER AND GOOD TEXTURE.

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators