The physicochemical properties of fibrous residues from the agro industry

- The physicochemical properties of four agro-industrial residues were determined.
- Malt bagasse, oat hulls, rice hulls, fibrous residue from banana pseudo-stems.
- In all the residues, insoluble fibers formed the major fraction of the fiber content.
- Banana residue with highest soluble fiber content, water and oil-holding capacities.
- The residues had potential for use as a dietary fiber source in health food products.

The objectives of this work were to determine some of the physicochemical properties of four agro-industrial residues, namely malt bagasse, oat hulls, rice hulls and fibrous residue from banana pseudo-stems (FRBPS). Oat hulls contained the highest dietary fiber content (89.08 g/100 g), followed by malt bagasse (63.84 g/100 g), rice hulls (56.26 g/100 g) and FRBPS (47.99 g/100 g). The insoluble fiber in all residues formed the major fraction of the fiber contents, ranging from 43.79 (FRBPS) to 88.0 g/100 g (oat hulls). FRBPS exhibited the highest soluble fiber content (4.44 g/100 g), water (4.71 g/g) and oil-holding capacity (2.68 g/g). Only malt bagasse and FRBPS exhibited emulsifying capacity, which was 59.83 and 8.28 mL oil/g, respectively. As demonstrated by water sorption isotherms, rice hulls were less hygroscopic and FRBPS were more hygroscopic.