Functionalized bran
AssigneeGeneral Mills, Inc.
InventorsXia Liu, John McKeehen, Christine Ng, Nesli Sozer, Markus Nikinmaa
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Abstract
A method is described for treating bran to improve sensory attributes in food products made with the treated bran. The method includes acidifying a bran to a pH of less than 5 for a period of time sufficient to achieve an increase in soluble protein, then increasing the pH to at least 5.5. Also described are compositions including a treated bran, and methods of using a treated bran to increase bran content in foods or to improve organoleptic qualities in foods containing bran.
Claims4
A puffed food, the puffed food having a bran content of at least 12% by weight, and having a density of less than 300 kg/m3, wherein the bran content comprises a treated bran produced by a method comprising:
- a. acidifying a bran to a pH of less than 5 for a sufficient period of time to increase soluble protein content of the bran by at least 10% by dry weight, and
- b. after the period of time, increasing the pH of the acidified bran to a pH of at least 5.5 to produce the treated bran.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.