Evaluation of Wheat Bran Obtained by Tangential Abrasive Dehulling Device

A tangential abrasive dehulling device (TADD) was used to evaluate debranning properties of wheat grain and obtain grain fractions enriched in antioxidants. Effect of grain moisture content and abrasion time on the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the fractions were examined. Whole wheat, bran from a quadrumat senior mill, and a commercial aleurone sample were used as references. Total phenolic content (TPC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity of the TADD bran extracts were determined and compared to those of the reference materials and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). TADD bran fraction obtained at original grain moisture level, 11%, and short abrasion time, 1 min, had the highest ORAC value among the samples examined in this study. Only the sample obtained at 11% moisture level and 1 min abrasion time had similar ORAC, TPC, and DPPH values that are similar to those of the commercial aleurone despite the big difference in their starch content. The effect of grain moisture, abrasion time, and moisture x abrasion time interaction had significant effects on the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the fractions. This study demonstrated that TADD was very effective in producing wheat grain fractions with high antioxidant content.