The research, aimed at white bread lovers, was funded by the British government to increase the health benefits of the food.
Scientists are trying to create a new type of bread that is as healthy as wholemeal bread, but looks and tastes like white bread.
Aimed at white bread lovers, the project was funded by the UK government to increase the health benefits of the food in the country.
The researchers plan to add small amounts of peas, cereals and grains, as well as bran and wheat germ, which are normally removed from white flour, to the bread dough.
In the past, bread makers tried to make white bread healthier by adding wheat bran to the flour, but consumers didn’t like the taste or texture.
The research project is still in the early stages of development.
Catherine Howarth, of Aberystwyth University, UK, is one of the project’s leaders. She said scientists have begun analyzing the detailed chemical composition of existing white flour.
In her opinion, increasing the nutritional values to the level of wholemeal bread and, at the same time, maintaining the flavor and feel of white bread is a delicate balancing act.
This involved the addition of smaller quantities of wheat germ and some of the bran removed during the milling process, as well as the addition of other cereals richer in vitamins, minerals and fibre, such as quinoa, teff, sorghum and millet. Peas and chickpeas would provide extra protein.
“We want to find out exactly which vitamins and minerals are lost during the milling process,” he explains.
“By using other cereals we can increase the levels of iron, zinc and vitamins and, above all, the fiber content, because white bread has very little fibre, which is very important for health.”
Once Howarth has some possible recipes, Chris Holister, product development manager at Gloucestershire flour maker Shipton Mill, will turn them into bread.
“Most people know that wholemeal bread is better, but many of them are put off by the taste, or because it’s not what they’re used to and they’re just not interested,” he says of the challenge.
The final step will be to test the new bread with consumers, to see if they can differentiate it from the sliced white bread sold in supermarkets.
Holister used me as a guinea pig to test a first prototype made with a mixture of normal white flour with the addition of cereals and peas.
It was crunchier than the sliced white bread you buy at the grocery store, but otherwise looked and tasted like white bread.
However, there is still much work to be done.
The expectation is that a new product could be available on supermarket shelves within around two years.
The research team believes their approach will be successful because they only add the inner layer of bran, which has a less strong flavor and color. They say they will have to add less because they are using other grains that are highly nutritious but have a less strong flavor.
White bread must have minerals and vitamins added by law to make up for the benefits lost in the refining process. But Amanda Lloyd, who works with manufacturers Howarth and Holister, believes using natural ingredients would make sliced white bread even healthier.
“If the nutritional quality of standard basic bread is improved, people’s quality of life, health and well-being will also improve,” Lloyd notes.
Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University of London, who is not part of the research team, says this work could be an important step towards improving people’s health.
“The English have had a love affair with white bread for more than a century and nutritionists have been trying to get more people to eat wholemeal flour,” he says.
“The new research appears to be a very interesting approach to doing this.”
“Critics would say this is getting people to improve their diet, but nutritionists would say it doesn’t matter how it’s done – what matters is that people do it to improve their health!”
“But it is not yet known whether this new approach will work,” he adds.
According to the British Association of Dietitians (BDA), the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes may be up to 30% lower in people who regularly consume whole grains – and the risk of bowel cancer may also be reduced.
Also according to the BDA, research shows that 95% of adults don’t eat enough whole grains – and nearly one in three don’t consume any at all.
It wasn’t always this way, according to Chris Holister.
“Before, white bread was for the upper classes, because it was a refined product, and much more expensive than wholemeal bread. So this led to everyone wanting white bread, because it seemed like a certain status,” he explains.
“Then, some people changed again, going in the opposite direction, when research showed that (wholemeal bread) is more nutritious.”
But Chris doesn’t believe this circle will close, because many people are used to eating white bread.
“White bread is much cheaper than wholemeal bread because companies are equipped to produce it. And it’s also what most people are used to.”
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
