Wheat bran is rich in minerals, fiber, vitamin B6, thiamine, folate and vitamin E which are known to possess health-promoting properties.
It also contains bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, arabinoxylans, alkylresorcinol and phytosterols. These compounds have been suggested as an aid in prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
Wheat bran is subdivided into three distinct layers, viz testa, aleurone and pericarp. Wheat bran is composed of about 53% dietary fibre (xylans, lignin, cellulose, and galactan, fructans).
Bran is used in the production of brown and whole-meal flours, hence retaining some of the valuable nutritional components that are depleted when these fractions are further removed in the refinement of white flour.
It has been suggested that the antioxidant phytochemicals found in wheat bran fractions may modulate cellular oxidative status and prevent biologically important molecules such as DNA, proteins and membrane lipids from oxidative damage, and that this consequently plays a role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as CVD and cancer.
Wheat bran is subdivided into three distinct layers, viz testa, aleurone and pericarp. Wheat bran is composed of about 53% dietary fibre (xylans, lignin, cellulose, and galactan, fructans).
Wheat bran makes up about 13-17% of total wheat grain weight and its extraction is divided into two types depending on the process of milling.
1. Dry milling: Involves the separation of bran from the endosperm, which is further ground into fine flour.
2. Roller milling: Separation of bran from wheat grain is achieved efficiently using a roller mill.
Wheat bran
