Food scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have successfully developed a food formula that is baked into a healthier bread by adding a natural plant pigment called anthocyanin. The anthocyanins contained in the bread are extracted from black rice, and this special bread slows down the rate of starch digestion - so it can improve glycemic control and bring other health benefits, such as higher resistance. Oxidation characteristics. This is the first study to use anthocyanin extract as a fortifying ingredient in bread products. The corresponding research results open up new possibilities for the development of healthy foods suitable for diabetic patients.

Bread is one of the staple foods that are popular with many people around the world. General bread contains a lot of starch ingredients that are easy to digest, so eating bread may cause an increase in blood sugar index, so it is not suitable for diabetics. Eating too much bread may also increase the risk of being overweight and obese and suffering from related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

The anthocyanin-made bread developed by the NUS research team can bring health benefits to consumers seeking a healthier alternative to ordinary bread. Relevant research results have been published in the Journal of Food Chemistry in October 2015.

Anthocyanins are flavonoids and are natural pigments found in fruits and grains and vegetables such as blueberries, black rice and purple sweet potatoes. They help to create orange, red, purple and blue that can be seen in nature.

Scientific research has found that anthocyanins have high antioxidant properties, while antioxidants help prevent cardiovascular and neurological diseases, cancer and inflammation. Anthocyanins can also help inhibit digestive enzymes, thus helping to lower blood sugar levels.

Professor Zhou Weijun, director of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the National University of Science and Technology, said: "Although anthocyanins bring a lot of benefits, the knowledge of using anthocyanins as ingredients in food products, especially semi-solid food ingredients, is very limited. Therefore, We set out to study the feasibility of adding anthocyanins to bread to understand how it can affect digestion speed and its impact on different quality attributes in bread."

The first author of the research report, Dr. Yan Xiaonan, who recently graduated from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the National University of Science and Technology, said: "Reducing the rate of digestion of bread starch in the body will lower the glycemic index and slow the absorption of carbohydrates in bread. This also means lowering the demand for insulin and may help improve long-term glycemic control."

Under the leadership of Professor Zhou, the NUS team found that when 1% of the anthocyanin extract was added to the bread dough and baked at 200 degrees Celsius for 8 minutes, the digestion rate of the special bread with anthocyanin added could be reduced by 12.8%. If 4% anthocyanin extract is added, the digestion rate can be reduced by 20.5%.

The NUS research team also hopes to explore the possibility of adding anthocyanins to bread to enhance its value as a health food. They have previously conducted a study in 2014 to investigate the damage to anthocyanins during baking. They found that crust and breadcrumbs retained more than 80% of their antioxidant capacity even when baked for up to 12 minutes at temperatures up to 240 degrees Celsius.

Professor Zhou said: “In the case of bread, our research shows that it is feasible to create functional foods by adding anthocyanins. We hope to further study and explore the addition of anthocyanins to other foods, such as biscuits. Our team Also interested in working with industry partners to bring anthocyanin special bread to the market."

The NUS research team also hopes to explore the possibility of adding anthocyanins to bread to enhance its value as a health food. They have previously conducted a study in 2014 to investigate the damage to anthocyanins during baking. They found that crust and breadcrumbs retained more than 80% of their antioxidant capacity even when baked for up to 12 minutes at temperatures up to 240 degrees Celsius.

Professor Zhou said: “In the case of bread, our research shows that it is feasible to create functional foods by adding anthocyanins. We hope to further study and explore the addition of anthocyanins to other foods, such as biscuits. Our team Also interested in working with industry partners to bring anthocyanin special bread to the market."