Modification of wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber with carboxymethylation, complex enzymatic hydrolysis and ultrafine comminution

•Carboxymethylation significantly improved the physicochemical properties of W-IDF.•The physicochemical and functional properties of E-IDF are better than W-IDF.•The antioxidant properties of the IDFs were improved by three kinds of modification methods.•Ultrafine comminution reduced the WRC and ORC, while increased WSC, CEC, GAC, and NIAC of W-IDF. To improve the industrial application of wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber (W-IDF), three modification methods (carboxymethylation, complex enzymatic hydrolysis, and ultrafine comminution) were compared on the basis of structural, physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of W-IDF. FT-IR, DSC and SEM analysis showed that modifications contributed to alteration in morphology and arrangement of chemical bonds in W-IDF. Carboxymethylation effectively improved the water retention (WRC), water swelling (WSC), and glucose adsorption capacities (GAC); complex enzymatic hydrolysis greatly improved the oil retention (ORC), GAC, and nitrite ion adsorption capacities (NIAC). Although ultrafine comminution reduced the WRC and ORC, while positively influenced the GAC and NIAC. Moreover, total phenol content, total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, Fe2+ chelating capacity and total reducing power were improved in modified W-IDF. Our results confirmed that carboxymethylation can improve the nutritive quality and sensory properties of W-IDF (nutritive ingredient) in food products.