There is evidence that fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin can impart a range of health benefits if consumed on a regular basis. The health benefits include increased mineral absorption and improved immune response and while there is mounting evidence that prebiotics play a role in colorectal cancer prevention, their role in feeling of satiety and weight management is still being investigated.In this review we look at the evidence published so far on FOS or inulin supplementation and weight management. We also establish whether prebiotic enriched breads are feasible in terms of dough machinability, bread characteristics and consumers acceptance.Addition of inulin to bread generally resulted in smaller loaves with a harder crumb and darker colour. The limited sensory studies on those products reflect those findings and acceptability decreased with inulin content. However, a fortification of 5% seems achievable. Despite evidence that yeast invertase and dry heat degrade inulin, the extent to which this is the case and whether the prebiotics maintain their activity is not known.There is still a great deal of work to be done to establish whether a bread prepared with enough inulin to retain a significant activity can be manufactured without compromising consumer acceptance.Keywords: Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS); inulin; bread; satiety; texture; consumer acceptance 3
HighlightsThere is tentative evidence that inulin supplementation may help a certain proportion of the population actively manage their weight Addition of inulin to bread generally resulted in smaller loaves with a harder crumb and darker colour.Limited sensory studies on those products reflect those findings and acceptability decreased with inulin content.Yeast invertase and dry heat degrade inulin.Fructo-oligosaccharides / inulin fortification in bread at a level of 5% seems achievable. 4
Prebiotics: documented health benefits and market growthThere is evidence that prebiotics can impart a range of health benefits if consumed on a regular basis. There have been a number of excellent papers and reviews on the topic of prebiotics and their health benefits (Macfarlane, Macfarlane & Cummings, 2006, Roberfroid et al., 2010. The health benefits include increased mineral absorption (Hawthorne & Abrams, 2008, Rastall, 2010 and improved immune response (Macfarlane, Steed & Macfarlane, 2007, Seifert & Watzl, 2008) and while there is mounting evidence that prebiotics play a role in colorectal cancer prevention (Asad, Emenaker & Milner, 2008) or cancer therapy (Taper & Roberfroid, 2008), their role in feelings of satiety and weight management is still being investigated.It has been suggested that there is an interaction between body weight and the effect of fibre on satiety and energy intake (Burton-Freeman, 2000). Beyond the direct (prebiotic effect) and indirect (fat / sugar substitution) health benefits to be gained from the incorporation of prebiotics to food, the resulting sensory properties of the final products have to be adequately monitored ...
a Senior Lecturer in Food Studies, teaches Biochemistry and Sensory Science on Food/ Nutrition courses at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels. Her research revolves around food structure, food sensory properties and consumer perception. She has an interest in developing teaching resources and exploring techniques which can enhance student learning experience. Gladson Chikwa, a Learning and Teaching Officer, works with academic staff supporting the strategic enhancement of learning and teaching and the development of the student academic experience. His research interests are divided between technology enhanced learning, teaching quality and assessment and feedback in higher education.
Very little is known about the impact of the different types of feedback on students' academic performance. This article explores students' preference in the use of audio and written feedback and how each type of feedback received by students impacts their academic performance in subsequent assignments. The study involved 68 students who were divided into two groups that received either audio or written feedback in their first assignment which was then recalled and applied into the second assignment. An analysis of results obtained in the second assignment was conducted and comparisons made between students in the audio and written feedback group. Students were also surveyed using an online questionnaire to ascertain their perceptions about the type of feedback they had received. The study established that the type of feedback received did not impact students' grades in the subsequent assignment. In addition, while students were broadly positive about audio feedback, they indicated a strong preference for written feedback in future assignments. The study recommends, among other things, further investigation into the link between students' learning styles and their preferences for different types of feedback.Keywords academic performance, audio feedback, feedback, feed-forward, written feedback
Students' use and engagement with feedbackIn our effort to understand how students engage with and make use of the feedback they receive, there is a need to explore how students use audio and written feedback and how these impact their
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