Pre-Saturation of Bran as a Strategy for Developing Oat Bran-Enriched Bread

= 0.9979) yielded the composite bread with the most desirable structural and textural properties, including the highest specific loaf volume, minimal crumb hardness, and superior springiness and cohesiveness-attributes comparable to those of the control white bread. Conversely, hydration levels either below or above this saturation threshold led to a decline in bread quality. Optimally saturated oat bran exhibited significantly reduced water absorbency, ensuring sufficient water availability for gluten network development. The findings underscore the critical role of precise hydration in optimizing the functional properties of oat bran for bread-making applications.