Effect of oven roasting on major chemical components in cereals and its modulation on flour-based products quality

Oven roasting (OR) could induce hierarchical structural changes in starch, which is fundamental for altering the pasting and hydration properties of cereal flour. OR makes proteins denatured and peptide chains unraveled or rearranged. OR could alter compositions of cereal lipids and minerals. Although OR may degrade phenolics, their release from bound forms is predominant when mild/moderate conditions are exerted. Hence, some OR-modified cereals even exhibit many physiological functions, such as anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, these minor components interplay with starch/protein via physical entrapment, non-covalent interactions, or cross-linking. The structural changes and interactions modulate functionalities of OR-modified cereal flour, its dough/batter property, and related staple food quality. Compared with hydrothermal or high-pressure thermal treatments, proper OR even induces greater enhancement in technological quality and bioactive compounds release. Given the simple operation and low cost, it is worth utilizing OR for the development of sensory-appealing healthy staple foods.