Processing techniques for improving cereal functionalities have several benefits in food production:

• Enhancing Nutritional Value: Processing techniques can enhance the nutritional value of cereals by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients, reducing anti-nutritional factors, and improving the nutrient profile of cereals.
• Increasing Shelf Life: Processing techniques like drying, milling, and extrusion can help increase the shelf life of cereals by reducing moisture content and controlling microbial growth.
• Improving Texture and Appearance: Processing techniques such as extrusion and baking can improve the texture and appearance of cereals, making them more appealing and palatable.
• Enhancing Functional Properties: Processing techniques can also enhance functional properties, such as water absorption, dough elasticity, and viscosity, thus improving the quality of the final product.

Check out the following resources to learn more about how processing techniques create high-quality and nutritious cereal-based food products that have a long shelf life, are visually appealing, and are easy to work with during food processing.

Food for Thought is produced in collaboration with Cereals & Grains Association expert volunteers. Thank you to our editors, Cyprian Syeunda, Student Association Chair, and Anashwar Valsalan, Student Association Product Development Competition Chair, for their contribution to this Food for Thought.

Resources

Cereal Foods World Articles

• Spotlight on The Land Institute (January/February 2020)
• Enhancing Pulse Protein Quality through Processing and Genetic Tools (March/April 2020)
• Increasing Whole Grain Consumption in China: Processing and Sensory Challenges (September/October 2020)
• Methods for Processing Pulses to Optimize Nutritional Functionality and Maximize Amino Acid Availability in Foods and Feeds (November/December 2020)
  
• The Critical Role of Milling in Pulse Ingredient Functionality (September/October 2018)
• Towards an Affordable and Sustainable Food Supply- Recent Advances and Future Prospects (November/December 2017)
• Current and Potential Barley Grain Food Products (September/October 2016)
• Development of New Methods to Assess the Nutrition Aspects of Cereal Grain Products (September/October 2016)
  
• Effects of Processing on Physicochemical Properties and Efficacy of ß-Glucan from Oat and Barley (January/February 2015)
• Carbohydrates, Grains, and Wheat in Nutrition and Health: An Overview Part II. Grain Terminology and Nutritional Contributions (November/December 2015)
• The Role of Fat Crystallization in Bakery Products (September/October 2013)
• Millet-Based Traditional Processed Foods and Beverages - A Review (May/June 2011)
• Retention of anthocyanins, phenolics, and antioxidant activity during blue corn extrusion (July/August 2011)
• Techniques to produce enriched bioactive components in cereals (wheat) with outlook on fermentation to improve bioavailability (July/August 2011)
• The History and Future of Food Processing in China (May/June 2008)
• Evaluating Healthful Properties of Cereals and Cereal Fractions by Their Bile-Acid-Binding Potential (May/June 2008)
• Application of Bulgur Technology to Food Aid Programs (September/October 2007)
  

Cereal Chemistry

The following articles are available free to all Cereals and Grains Association members.

• Hydration Dynamics of Durum Wheat Endosperm as Studied by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Soaking Experiments (September 2008)
• Phytosterol Distribution in Fractions Obtained from Processing of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles Using Sieving and Elutriation (November 2007)
• Fiber Separated from Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles as a Feedstock for Ethanol Production (November 2007)
• Development of Laboratory Techniques to Mimic Industrial-Scale Nixtamalization (November 2005)
• A New Method to Study Simple Shear Processing of Wheat Gluten-Starch Mixtures (November 2004)
  

These additional articles require a subscription to Cereal Chemistry. Subscribe today to get full access.

• Production and Nutritional Evaluation of Liquefied Weaning Foods from Malted Sorghum, Quality Protein Maize, and Other Cereals (September 2004)
• Fractionation and Composition of Commercial Corn Masa (January 1998)
• Stability of Uric Acid Used as an Indicator of Insect Contamination During Extrusion of Wheat Flour (1996)
• Prediction of Dough Rheological Properties Using Neutral Networks (1995)
  

Online Books

• Durum Wheat: Chemistry and Technology, Second Edition: Chapter 10: Other Traditional Durum-Derived Products
• Handbook Series: Chapter 4: Starch Modifications
• The Science of Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages: Chapter 10: Novel Approaches in the Design of Gluten-Free Cereal Products
• Wheat: Chemistry and Technology, 4th ed.: Chapter 7: Micronutrients and Phytochemicals in Wheat Grain
  

• Proteins and protein hydrolyzates - Structure and function - Odd (Cereals17)
• Extrusion processing to develop snacks from garbanzo flour and distiller’s dried grains developed for food applications (2016 Annual Meeting)
• An indirect rapid heat moisture treatment method in improving functionality of whole wheat flour (2014 Annual Meeting)
• Fractionation of hull-less barley for the production of functional fiber ingredients (2013 Annual Meeting)
• Tools to Evaluate Health Benefits of Cereals (2009 Annual Meeting)
• Nutritional properties of oat-based beverages as affected by processing and storage (2006 Annual Meeting)
• Novel techniques to evaluate starch gelatinization in several Mexican corn races (2002 Annual Meeting)
  

Additional Resources

Molecular Spectroscopy to Assess Protein Structures within Cereal Systems | Science Direct