Plant‐based foods have a considerable quantity of bioactive moieties which provide nutritional benefits. Literature demonstrated that intake of a dietary fiber‐rich diet has positive impacts on human health. Moreover, several studies have indicated that a high intake of soluble dietary fiber is associated with a reduced risk of numerous chronic aberrations as compared to insoluble dietary fiber. For the purpose, special attention has been paid toward enhancement of soluble dietary fiber in foods through different innovative techniques. In this review, efforts are directed to elaborate the importance of dietary fiber and to highlight the significance of conversion of insoluble dietary fiber into soluble dietary fiber. Soluble dietary fiber are functionally and nutritionally more important than insoluble dietary fiber. Moreover, much has been focused on the solubilization of dietary fibers through different techniques that ameliorates the quantity of soluble dietary fiber. An array of different techniques and methods are used such as mechanical degradation, extrusion cooking, thermal processes, chemical treatment, enzymatic methods, microbiological fermentation, and some other processes. Furthermore, physicochemical and functional perspectives of soluble dietary fiber are also the limelight of the article. Practical applications The current study is aimed to overview the functional importance and modification of dietary fiber through different techniques. Owing to water solubility, soluble dietary fibers are more important than insoluble dietary fiber in terms of gastrointestinal role, cholesterol lowering effect, weight management, improved immunity, and mood enhancement and have a positive role in product development. Therefore, modification is much important for an industrial and health point of view as it generates physicochemical changes in dietary fiber which improve bioactive functionality. As good source of soluble dietary fiber, treated foods, especially cereals, can be incorporated in products/baking products to make these functional against various diseases because consumers are more conscious toward their diet and wish for natural remedies.

Cereals have captured global importance owing to the presence of bioactive moieties in cell wall. Numerous components have been considered but non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) of cereals cell wall are of prime concern. In this comprehensive review, the basic aim is to elaborate the functional and nutritional importance of cereals cell wall with special reference to NSP. Among bioactive components of cell wall, NSP, such as arabinoxylans, ßglucans, and arabinogalactans of wheat and barley, have gained much importance. Moreover, literature revealed that NSP have greater role as prebiotic, immunomodulator, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and cardio-protector as well as major food applications.

The core objective of the current study was to extract and characterize the wheat straw cell wall for its nutritional and bioactive profile. For the purpose, four different wheat straw varieties namely Ujala-16, Johar-16, Gold-16, and Galaxy-13 were procured from Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The whole research was conducted in three different phases. In first phase, nutritional composition and mineral profile of straw of different wheat varieties were determined. In second phase, wheat straw cell wall of different varieties was isolated and characterized for its important bioactive constituents, such as lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses, phytosterol, and policosanol (PC) content. Results showed that straw of different wheat varieties contained 7.75-9.24, 3.98-5.06, 3.43-3.98, and 1.60-2.24 g/100 g moisture, ash, protein, and fat contents, respectively, whereas potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium were 1.19-2.03, 0.10-0.79, 0.10-0.98, 0.03-0.98 ppm, respectively. Moreover, lignocellulosic mass: cellulose 37.75-38.18 g/100 g raw material, lignin 15.67-16.07 g/100 g raw material, hemicelluloses 28.25-28.98 g/100 g raw material, was present in wheat straw and varied significantly among different varieties. In addition, phytosterol ranged from 854 to 1176 mg/kg in straw of different wheat cultivars, whilst PC from 196.09 to 236.48 mg/kg. Conclusively, wheat straw was an excellent source of many important bioactive moieties especially lignocelluloses and could have functional use.

The current research was carried out to observe the effect of different thermal treatments on soluble and insoluble dietary fiber ratio to improve functional properties of barley. Two varieties of barley labeled as Haider‐93 and Jau‐87 were milled and then wet and dry heat‐treated. Soaking and then cooking of soaked and nonsoaked barley was performed. Untreated barley contained more insoluble dietary fiber (12.00–12.40 g/100g dm) than soluble dietary fiber (4.73–5.70 g/100g dm). Additionally, the modification of soluble (13.32%) and insoluble dietary fiber (8.79%) ratio through pressure cooking was nonsignificant while roasting showed significant results, that is, 53.91% increase in soluble dietary fiber and 8.79% decrease in insoluble dietary fiber. In phase II, cooking without soaking gave highest results, that is, 68.08% increase in soluble dietary fiber and 15.48% decrease in insoluble dietary fiber. Conclusively, among all treatments of phase I and II, the better results were shown by cooking without soaking.

Dietary fiber has gained greater attention owing to their positive and potential health perspectives. Cereals are the most important and enriched source of dietary fiber with more insoluble dietary fiber than soluble. For dietary fiber modification, chemical treatment with various techniques is considered as significant approach owing to its safety point of view and involves less damage to the molecular structure of the dietary fiber through chemical reagents and content of soluble dietary fiber is increased more efficiently. The current study was aimed to nutritionally characterize the cereal grains and to partially convert insoluble dietary fiber into soluble dietary fiber through chemical treatments in combination with extrusion. For the purpose, two varieties of each cereal were characterized for their chemical composition, mineral profile, and dietary fiber content according to the respective methods. Then, dietary fiber ratio in cereals was modified through chemical treatments, that is, acid, alkaline, and consecutive acid–alkaline followed by extrusion. Results regarding dietary fiber content of cereal grains exhibited that wheat (12.03–12.20 g/100 g) contained higher total dietary fiber followed by sorghum (6.70–6.90 g/100 g). Additionally, modification of SDF (1.97%) and IDF (11.48%) ratio in wheat and SDF (1.19%) and IDF (24.25%) ratio in sorghum through extrusion processing was nonsignificant while acid–alkaline treatment showed highly significant results, that is, 768.2% increase in SDF and 56.5% decrease in IDF in wheat and 952.38% increase in SDF and 71.17% decrease in IDF in sorghum. Among chemical treatments, higher result was given by acid–alkaline method and the lower outputs were observed in case of extrusion in both cereals. Conclusively, soluble dietary fiber was significantly increased through chemical treatments alone or in combination with twin‐screw extrusion.

The objective of present study was to probe the effect of cereal bran cell wall addition on farinographic and mixographic characteristics of wheat flour dough. For the purpose, bran cell wall was isolated from three varieties of each cereal (wheat, barley, maize) according to respective method. Additionally, cereal bran cell walls were added in wheat flour with concentrations of 1% and 2% and rheological properties were determined through farinograph and mixograph. Addition of cereal bran cell walls significantly improved rheological properties of wheat flour. Higher increase in water absorption capacity (71.55 ± 0.30%), dough stability (8.80 ± 0.09 min), peak height (74.11 ± 0.31 BU), and mixing tolerance index (74.54 ± 0.30%) of dough was observed with the addition of barley cell wall followed by wheat and maize bran cell walls at 2%. Moreover, dough development time (2.78 ± 0.38 min), mixing time (4.12 ± 0.27 min), and softness of dough (123.60 ± 0.79%) were decreased more significantly through barley cell wall than wheat and maize cell walls. Conclusively, exploitation of cereal bran cell wall in cereal‐based products improves product quality. Practical applications Cereal bran cell walls were added in wheat flour and various properties of wheat dough such as water absorption capacity, dough development time, mixing time, softness of dough, dough stability, mixing tolerance index, and peak height were improved. Utilization of cell wall in cereal‐based products can fulfill many objectives including improving product quality, shelf life, value addition, and maintaining good health of the consumers. Novel products with improved rheology can be introduced in market as functional foods against various diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cancer, and bacterial infections.

The aim of this present study was to explore antioxidant and bioactive profile of ginger and turmeric. For the purpose, turmeric and ginger (Haldi and Adric) were procured from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab-Pakistan. The study was comprised of different phases. Both of the spices were characterized for their chemical composition and mineral profile. Bioactive compound was extracted by using solvent followed by quantification through the highpressure liquid chromatography. Furthermore, antioxidant potential including total phenolics content, free radical scavenging activity (DPPH assay) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power test (FRAP assay) was analyzed. Results revealed that the antioxidant profile including free radical scavenging activity (47.67 ± 0.19 mg/100 g) and DPPH (80.16 ± 0.23%) of turmeric ginger powder extract was much higher than turmeric and ginger powder extract. Similarly, total phenolics content (103.39 ± 0.58 mg of GAE/g) and flavonoids (4.27 ± 0.05 mg CE/100 g) were much higher in turmeric ginger powder as compared to turmeric powder and ginger powder, respectively. Conclusively, turmeric ginger powder showed higher antioxidant potential.

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of two different drying methods, that is, spray drying and oven drying on physicochemical and nutritional attributes of date flesh powder of dhakki, aseel, and rabi varieties. Date powders were prepared using mixture of maltodextrin and acacia gum (50:50) as drying aid at the rate of 0.4 kg per 1.0 kg of date fruits (dry weight basis). The oven‐drying conditions were 60°C for 48 hr, whereas in spray drying, flow rate of 30 ml/min at 150°C was maintained. Date powder was obtained in both treatments from three varieties. Nutritional profile in all six powders was explored specifically with quantification of sugars using HPLC‐RI, followed by physicochemical characterization. The total phenolic compounds, color ( L * a * b * values), hygroscopicity, bulk density, wettability, solubility index, and glass transition temperatures (using differential scanning calorimetry, DSC), were determined for the date powders. The nutritional profile and total phenolic contents and sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose) were significantly different for the varieties, while treatments showed insignificant effect. The physicochemical characteristics of date powder varied significantly with respect to the date varieties. The colored values were affected due to treatments also, and the spray‐dried powders showed better color values. The drying methods also showed effects in some parameters such as wettability time. Similarly, bulk density was different in both treatments for rabi and aseel. The glass transition temperatures were significantly varied in varieties due to difference in sugar contents, but within the treatments, they remain unaffected. The highest glass transition temperature of spray‐dried rabi was 53.2 ± 1.31°C.