Designing a functional rice muffin formulated with prebiotic oligosaccharides and sugar reduction

Abstract

Innovation of pastry products towards higher nutritional and commercial value remains a challenge to the growing field of healthy food. In this study, the prebiotic supplementation and sugar reduction were explored in a widely consumed pastry product with a low level of innovation. The prebiotic potential of commercial agave inulin and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) was evaluated and compared by an in vitro model using human fecal inocula. Rice muffins containing 100% of sugar or 75% of sugar supplemented with 0.8% GOS were produced and compared with commercial rice muffins regarding their physical and textural properties. GOS fermentation led to the highest production of lactate and short-chain fatty acids, besides the most significant reduction of the final pH value and of the ammonia and methane production. Inulin presented a higher selectivity towards Lactobacillaceae (51 ± 1% of all), while GOS are more efficient to stimulate Bifidobacteriaceae growth (65 ± 7% of all).