Owing to the proven beneficial role of dietary fiber (DF) on human health, feasibility of incorporating commercially available soluble and insoluble DF preparations into rice-milk-pudding (kheer, a popular Indian delicacy) was studied through process modification. The novel approach of preparing reduced fat DF-fortified-kheer (DFFK) by developing liquid/cream phase and particulate/rice phase separately, and subsequently blending the two was developed. The major processing variables studied were total solids (TS) in the liquid phase, type of fiber blend, flavor-simulation through heat treatment or added whey protein, and the presence of sugar in water for pre-cooking of rice. Reduced fat DFFK made from three different pre-standardized fiber blends was quite acceptable to the sensory panel (overall rating 7.5). With increasing TS in milk up to 16.5%, sensory acceptability of DFFK increased. There was a small but perceivable improvement in the flavour of DFFK when precooking of rice was carried out in sweetened water. Reduced fat DFFK from different fiber blends was found to be reasonably close to conventional kheer. DFFK prepared from Blend-I provided 3.31 g dietary fiber/100 kcal (suitable for the claim "High-in-Fiber") with 38.71% Reduced-Fat. With the developed process of fortification of kheer with DF, it is possible to reduce fat (and thus calories) to cater to the needs of consumers seeking good health.
Keywords: Dietary fiber fortification; Fat reduction; Fiber blends; Inulin; Oat bran; Rice-kheer.