ABSTRACT
Dietary fi bre encompasses a heterogeneous group of compounds that are not digested in the small bowel. Despite diffi culties in the defi nition and classifi cation, fi bres have been promoted for their nutritional properties. Research is on-going into the effect of dietary fi bre on cardiovascular health and its use in the control of diabetes, obesity, constipation, other gastrointestinal disorders and certain types of cancer, although results are sometimes controversial. Despite their positive effects on health, in general, fi bre intake in Western countries does not reach the minimum recommended levels. The addition of fi bre to bakery products would therefore favour compliance with recommendations on the type and amount of fi bre intake, and would produce nutritional benefi ts for consumers. However, the addition of fi bre can modify the behaviour of ingredients in the formula, the process and the quality of each product. Not only do these modifi cations depend on the characteristics of the fi bre-type, percentage used, size and shape of the fi bres, previous treatments applied, interaction between fi bres and presence of other components added with the fi bre (when using by-products from the food industry, for example)—but they also vary with process conditions during kneading, handling and fermentation, and these conditions should be adjusted to minimise changes in rheology and texture.
