Sensory Profile, Consumers’ Perception and Liking of Wheat–Rye Bread Fortified with Dietary Fibre

Evidence of global dietary fibre (DF) deficits provides impetus for research to develop new food products and reformulate commonly consumed foods to enable the transition to more healthy diets. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the sensory properties and consumers’ perception, liking, and willingness to buy wheat–rye bread fortified with DF. The study combined expert sensory profiling with consumers evaluation of DF fortified bread in blind and informed conditions. A sensory-trained panel evaluated six samples of bread with flour replaced by 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, 16%, and 20% with oat DF using 29 pre-identified attributes. A consumer panel (n = 300) evaluated bread samples in blind condition for liking and perception of healthiness, naturalness, and attractiveness and willingness to buy (WTB). Consumers were also asked to indicate the maximum price they were willing to pay for a standard bread of 700 g. In the informed condition, consumers evaluated the 0%, 8%, 12% oat DF samples labelled with either nutritional or health related claims using the same attributes as in blind condition including visual liking. The results of profiling revealed that replacement of flour with oat DF influenced intensity of several attributes related to different modalities. Results of the consumer studies showed that replacement of flour up to 20% with oat DF did not adversely affect consumers’ acceptance and willingness to buy wheat–rye breads. The mean values for bread samples labelled with information related to positive health outcomes of DF consumption were not significantly different from those with nutritional claims only. Combining sensory profiling with consumers acceptance studies gives valuable insights for consumer led new product development. The fortification of staple foods like bread with dietary fibre seems like a promising avenue, but other sources of fibre should also be considered in bread fortification to enhance health-related properties and prevent food waste.