Harnessing date fruit pomace: Extraction of high fibre dietary ingredient and its impact on high fibre wheat flour dough

Abstract

Extracting value from date fruit pomace, commonly dismissed as animal feed by date syrup factories, unveils a substantial composition of both insoluble and soluble fibers, along with valuable phenolic compounds. This nutritional profile positions date fruit fibre as an option for consumers seeking alternative fibre sources. This study investigates the extraction of high fibre date ingredient from date fruit pomace and its integration into bread wheat flour at replacement levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (w/w). The research examines the resulting bread dough's properties using farinograph, rheometer, texture analyzer and optical microscopy. Furthermore, it explores the potential of high fibre dietary ingredient as a valuable fibre supplement. Our findings reveal that high fibre dietary ingredient is rich in insoluble fibre and phenolic antioxidants, has moderate moisture and protein content, and low-fat levels. It displays promising high water and oil retention capacity. However, substantial incorporation into bread flour leads to the formation of a hardened, adhesive dough with low stability to mixing. These findings provide insights into the diverse potential applications of high fibre dietary ingredient, highlighting its characteristics and challenges when utilized in baking practices.