Whole grain cereal flours and honey‐based extruded breakfast cereals: Effect of extrusion processing on functional characteristics, antioxidant properties and hydroxymethylfurfural generation

Abstract

The effect of extrusion processing and honey on the quality characteristics of composite flour-based directly expanded breakfast cereals was investigated using response surface methodology with feed moisture (FM), extrusion temperature (ET), and honey level as process variables. The FM and ET initially increased and later decreased the expansion of breakfast cereals whereas the bulk density and hardness have followed the opposite trend to that of expansion. The ET had a negative and positive effect on water absorption and water solubility indices, respectively. Honey addition suppressed the expansion and elevated the density and hardness of the breakfast cereals. The optimum processing conditions for producing breakfast cereals consisted of 17.07% FM, 150.39°C ET, and 10.18% honey level. The ET had a negative effect on phenolics and a positive effect on antioxidant activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content whereas honey addition increased the levels of phenolics, antioxidant activity, and hydroxymethylfurfural in breakfast cereals. Novelty impact statement The use of honey as a sweetener significantly reduced the expansion and increased the density as well as the hardness of the breakfast cereals produced from composite flour of wheat, rice, and corn. However, honey addition limited the loss of phenolics and raised the antioxidant activity of resultant breakfast cereals. The effect of other extrusion variables, particularly extrusion temperature, depended on the honey level in the feed and these variables exhibited interactive and curvilinear effects on the properties of breakfast cereals.