Defatted Rice Bran as a Potential Raw Material to Improve the Nutritional and Functional Quality of Cakes

Cakes are the most popular bakery items around the world because they are easy to consume and affordable. Their baking characteristics and consumers’ healthy habits have driven the adoption of new ingredients and technologies to improve their functionality. This study aimed to develop cakes in which wheat flour was replaced by different amounts of defatted rice bran and to evaluate their physicochemical composition, nutritional and technological properties, and sensory profile. The use of defatted rice bran in cakes promoted an increase in fiber content, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, besides decreasing their energy value. The formulation with 30% defatted rice bran exhibited high acceptance and 35% of the judges declared that they would consume the product at least once a week, if it could be found on the market. Results showed that defatted rice bran is a potential raw material that could be used in bakery products, as a cheap way to improve their nutritional quality without affecting consumer acceptability.