National Honey Board Food Technology/ Product Research
Program
HONEY IN CEREALS
Utilization of Honey in Ready-to-Eat (RTE)
Breakfast Cereals
Research project funded by the National Honey Board and conducted at Kansas State University by Dr.
Paul E. Neumann, research associate and project coordinator, Extrusion Research Center, Department
of Grain Science and Industry, and Dr. Edgar Chambers, professor and director, Sensory Analysis
Center, Department of Foods and Nutrition.
Project Overview surprise that many breakfast What is extrusion?
The importance of breakfast is cereals are produced in this Simply defined, extrusion is a
well-recognized; therefore, manner. Yet, little data is continuous process in which a
many people start their day available on the use of preformed food product is
with a bowl of their favorite different honey types and cooked, shaped, and puffed by a
ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal. levels in extruded cereals. combination of mechanical and
thermal energy inputs. A wide
Breakfast eaters often choose Because honey is usually not range of mechanical hardware
the primary flavoring agent, configurations and process
all-natural RTE cereals to satisfy
nor does it completely replace conditions are possible with the
their morning appetites. These extruding equipment. This
cereals appease both the refined sugars in a formula, versatility enables product
health- and flavor-related this study was initiated to gain developers to experiment to
concerns of cereal lovers by a better understanding of achieve the desired flavor and
being free of preservatives, honey’s functionality and texture characteristics in the
additives and added sugar.1 To usage levels in extruded RTE finished product.
maintain sweetness, many cereal products.
cereal manufacturers use pure undesirable hard and glossy
and natural honey, which In high-sugar cereals, the key
texture.
imparts a sweet flavor and processing considerations are
golden color that many the sugar, starch and water
consumers prefer and interactions to allow for
recognize.2 optimal characteristics in the
end product.
According to research findings,
honey is an ingredient that The sugar often competes with
works well in RTE cereals. starch for available water, which
may prevent optimal expansion
Background and of the product. If extra water is
added to compensate for the
Rationale
high sugar concentration, the
Extrusion is a commonly used
starch properties are changed
processing method in food
so the end product may have an
manufacturing, so it is no
Honey Hotline Research Update • Honey in Cereals •
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a total of 17 extrusion runs. Higher honey levels increased
Objectives Each of the honey colors was the bulk density and radial
The objectives of the study subjected to the various expansion (piece diameter) of
were to determine the effects treatments, so a total of 51 cereals but lowered the piece
of formula and processing treatments were produced. thickness and relative numbers
variables on the acceptability of broken pieces in a given bulk
of extruded, RTE honey- Investigators used a sample. Piece diameter was
graham cereals. Four corotating twin-screw extruder increased when screw speeds
variables were examined: (model TX-52, Wenger were decreased, but bulk
Manufacturing, Inc.) to density, piece thickness and
1) honey color; process the treatments. relative level of broken pieces
2) honey level; Table 1: Base Formula decreased.
3) emulsifier level; and Ingredient Percent The decrease in specific
4) extruder screw speed. dry basis mechanical energy input
Whole-grain, 50.0 during extrusion was
Materials and Methods hard white attributed to the apparent
Three colors of honey were wheat flour concentration-dependent
used in the study: white (17% Straight- 29.6 viscosity lowering effect
moisture), light amber (17.8% grade, hard imparted by the honey. Thus,
moisture) and dark amber white wheat low-honey cereals produced
(18.0% moisture). flour at high screw speeds tended
Wheat 12.6 to “explode” as they
Formula Development starch discharged from the die, which
Researchers developed a Brown sugar 5.6 resulted in more broken
base formula for the cereal Salt 1.1 pieces.
and defined the parameters Sodium 0.9
for a controlled study of the Moisture adsorption, one of the
bicarbonate
experimental variables (Table primary concerns with higher
Cinnamon 0.2
1). levels of honey, was marginally
Total 100.00 related to honey levels in the
Relative proportions of base sample; it was only slightly
Honey was diluted with one part higher in cereal samples with
formula ingredients were held
tap water to two parts honey higher levels of honey
constant as the levels of
and added to the extruder compared to those with low
honey and lecithin were
barrel’s feed inlet head with a levels. Extrusion conditions
varied.
variable stroke length piston were evidently sufficient to
In the controlled study, five
pump (Bran-Lubbe). Moisture disperse the honey and protect
levels of honey concentration
content was held constant at it from adsorbing moisture from
(4.6, 6.0, 10.0, 1.0 and 15.4%
19% for all treatments. a humid environment. Lecithin
dry weight basis), lecithin
concentration (0, 0.25, 1.0, level did not affect the
Results protective effect imparted by
1.75 and 2% dry weight basis)
In general, as the amount of the extrusion process.
and extruder screw speed
honey was increased, the
(282, 300, 350, 400 and 418
specific mechanical energy Sensory Analysis
rpm) were evaluated.
input from extrusion decreased, Ten trained sensory panelists
especially at lower screw evaluated the samples for
The variables were studied in
speeds. appearance, flavor and texture in
various combinations, yielding
milk. Eight flavor descriptors
Honey Hotline Research Update • Honey in Cereals •
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were chosen to represent the texture and flavor were
cereals: graham, honey, spice, determined. These data were in
sweet aroma, sweet taste, burnt, turn used to develop samples for
animal-like and off-flavor. Seven consumer study.
appearance/ texture attributes
were selected: amount of The consumer panel consisted
broken pieces, brightness, of 101 males and females of
crispness, fracturability, varying ages and
hardness, thickness and socioeconomic backgrounds
cohesiveness. Intensities for who had no training in sensory
each descriptor were rated on a evaluation. Each panelist had to
scale from 0 to 15 (none to have eaten RTE cereal at least
extreme). once in the preceding two
weeks. They evaluated six
Following is a brief summary of cereal samples, one at a time,
the trained sensory panel and rated sweetness, texture
results: and honey-like note. They also
rated the cereals for overall
• The combination of high acceptability (see Tables 2-6).
honey levels (15.4% dry
weight basis) and low To develop the desired
extruder speeds (282 rpm) appearance, flavor and texture
produced the most desirable attributes noted by the sensory
characteristics in terms of panelists, honey and lecithin
flavor, sweetness, crispy were incorporated in the six
texture and bright samples at 10% and 0.85%
appearance (more golden). levels, respectively. The cereal
Panelists noted that the dark was extruded at a screw speed
amber honey imparted a of 350 rpm.
stronger, yet slightly off,
honey flavor to cereals Following is a summary of the
compared to the lighter consumer test results:
colored honeys. High-honey
cereals also stayed crispier in
• Cereals with higher levels of
milk than those with lower
honey (10-15.5%) were
honey concentrations.
preferred by consumers. The
• The higher honey levels also 10% honey samples were
yielded a fewer number of ranked highest in
broken pieces in the cereals.
Panelists also observed that
honey levels greater than
10% improved the structural
integrity of the cereal product.
Consumer Evaluation
Based on the results of the
trained panel testing, optimal
honey colors and levels for
Honey Hotline Research Update • Honey in Cereals •
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overall acceptability. Most Table 2: Selected Treatments
panelists indicated that this Honey Honey Lecithin Screw
formula had the most Type Level (% Level (% Speed
cinnamon-honey-graham db) db) (rpm)
White 4.5 0.85 280
flavor of the six cereals.
White 10.0 0.85 350
White 15.5 0.85 280
• Panelists did not detect Dark Amber 4.5 0.85 280
any off flavors in the dark Dark Amber 10.0 0.00 350
amber samples. In fact, the Dark Amber 15.5 0.85 280
15.5% dark amber honey
cereal was scored as Table 3: Intensity Rating of
having a significantly Crispiness/Crunchiness
higher honey-like flavor, (1=not crispy; 9=extremely crunchy)
Honey Type Honey Level (% Score *
suggesting that consumers db)
commonly associate its Dark Amber 15.5 8.3a
higher intensity and flavor White 15.5 8.2ab
profile with that commonly White 4.5 8.0b
expected in honey- White 10.0 8.0b
containing food products. Dark Amber 4.5 7.7c
Dark Amber 10.5 7.1d
• On average, consumers Table 4: Intensity Rating of Overall
rated all cereals higher Sweetness
than 7.0 for crispy / (1=not sweet; 9=extremely sweet)
crunchy characteristics. Honey Type Honey Level (% Score *
db)
Dark Amber 15.5 4.7a
Conclusions
White 15.5 4.1b
Based on the results of this White 10.0 3.7c
study, several conclusions Dark Amber 10.0 3.5c
may be made: Dark Amber 4.5 2.5d
White 4.5 2.4d
1) Honey flavor intensities for
each honey type are directly Table 5: Intensity of Honey Note
(1=dislike extremely; 9=like extremely)
related to honey
Honey Type Honey Level (% Score *
concentration. High honey db)
levels impart clearly Dark Amber 15.5 5.0a
perceivable and identifiable White 15.5 4.0b
honey flavors in cereals. White 10.0 4.0b
Dark Amber 10.0 3.8b
2) Higher screw speeds tend White 4.5 2.3c
Dark Amber 4.5 2.3c
to decrease honey flavor
intensities at given levels. Table 6: Overall Likeability
(1=dislike extremely; 9=like extremely)
3) The equilibrium moisture Honey Type Honey Level (% Score *
content (EMC) outcome db)
demonstrates that extrusion White 10.0 5.2a
processing allows for uniform White 15.5 5.0a
Dark Amber 15.5 5.0a
dispersion of the hygroscopic
Dark Amber 10.0 4.7ab
Dark Amber 4.5 4.4b
White 4.5 4.3b
* Common letters indicate no significant difference between means
(p < 0.05).
components of honey within
the cereal, which partially
prevents moisture adsorption.
4) The samples had relatively
similar EMC values. The EMC
was directly related to honey
level; it increased more rapidly
as a higher level of honey was
approached.
5) Consumers preferred
graham cereals that contained
10-15.5% honey and exhibited
high levels of crispness.
In addition to these
conclusions, the qualitative
observations in this study
suggest that higher levels of
honey may help delay
rancidity development, thus
reducing the need for the use
of chemical antioxidants with
these products.
References
1. LaGrange, V., Ropa, D.,
and Mupoperi, C. 1991. U.S.
food industry is “sweet” on
honey. American Bee Journal.
141:447.
2. LaGrange, V. and Sanders,
S.W. 1988. Honey in cereal-
based new food products.
Cereal Foods World. 33:833.
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