Milling-dependent modulation of color, texture, and antioxidant properties in Riceberry-substituted Hom Pathum rice-based bread

This study evaluated how milling strategy (wet vs. dry) and Riceberry rice substitution level interactively modulate the quality and functionality of Hom Pathum rice-based bread. Three base formulations were initially screened to select a reference recipe, after which Hom Pathum rice flour was partially substituted with Riceberry rice flour (30–50%, w/w) prepared by wet or dry milling. Wet-milled flour produced softer bread (lower firmness) and improved texture recovery (higher springiness), attributable to more homogeneous hydration and reduced structural discontinuities typically associated with coarse bran fragments. Increasing Riceberry substitution progressively reduced crumb lightness while significantly enhancing phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents, as well as radical-scavenging activity. Dry-milled Riceberry blends retained higher levels of bioactive compounds, indicating greater preservation of bran-associated pigments, whereas wet milling provided a more favorable balance between textural quality and bioactive retention. Overall, bread containing 50% Riceberry rice flour exhibited the highest bioactive content while maintaining acceptable consumer liking (overall score > 6.8). These findings demonstrate that controlled milling can strategically balance technological performance and bioactive retention, enabling the development of clean-label, gluten-reduced functional rice-based bread with enhanced nutritional value and consumer acceptance.