## 3 Results and Discussion
Comparing bread crumb color coordinates, the highest L* and b* coordinates were shown by control breads (80.14 and 24.13 NBS, respectively), and increasing the quantity of wheat bran (untreated and extruded/fermented) in the main bread formula reduced the L* coordinates of the bread crumb. Comparing bread crumb a* coordinates, the lowest a* was found for the control bread (\(-\)1.14 NBS) and, in all cases, increasing the content of wheat bran (untreated and extruded/fermented) in the bread formula increased the a* of the bread crumb. According to [PERSON] et al. [8], supplementation of bread with extruded bran reduces volume in comparison with bread prepared with untreated bran. However, these changes are related to bran extrusion parameters, and the volume of breads prepared with bran extruded at medium or high speed was similar to that of breads prepared with untreated bran [2]. [PERSON] et al. [9] reported that breads prepared with extruded bran and an improper have a higher volume than those prepared with untreated bran and an improper; these findings were explained by the amyloid hydrolysis of modified starch in extruded bran by the improver used, as these changes led to higher gas production because of a higher release of fermentable sugars from bran. After extrusion, the water absorption of wheat bran increases in comparison with that of untreated wheat bran [8; 14], and these changes could be associated with changes in the bread structure. In addition, as a separate treatment of bran, fermentation has been described. [PERSON] et al. [17] reported that the addition of 20 h yeast-fermented pearled kernels to bread formulation increases bread specific volume and leads to a softer crumb compared to the addition of untreated bran. These changes were explained by possible arabin solar solubilization due to the fermentation. [PERSON] et al. [18] reported that wheat bran fermented for 8 h with a combination of _Lactobacillus brevis_ and yeast strains increases bread volume, and this is related to better dough stability as well as increased gas retention. In addition, [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] [19] published that fermentation by yeast and heteroferrantative LAB is more effective, and fermented bran can improve bread quality due to the increased acidification parameters of the dough [2]. Opposite to the incorporation of fermented bran, the inclusion of unfermented bran in the main bread formula can disturb the gas cell wall structure of the dough [20] and lead to a low bread volume and dense crumb texture. Finally, there are no published data about the incorporation of extruded/fermented wheat bran in the main bread formula; however, the results obtained in this study are prospective for the preparation of higher-value wheat bread at industrial scale. Changes of the bread firmness during storage in plastic packaging at room temperature are shown in Figure 2. After 12 h of storage, the control breads and breads prepared with the addition of 10% untreated wheat bran showed the same hardness values (0.2 mJ); bread of other groups was harder: deformation of 0.25 mJ was determined for all of them except for bread prepared with 15% extruded/fermented wheat bran (0.30 mJ). After 24 h of storage, the smallest changes in hardness were found in the breads prepared with 10% untreated wheat bran (0.25 mJ), and the hardest breads were those prepared with 10% extruded/fermented wheat bran (0.80 mJ). After 48 h of storage, the texture tendencies of breads prepared with 10% extruded/fermented wheat bran remained the same, as they had the hardest texture (0.85 mJ). After 72, 96, and 120 h of storage, tendencies remained the same: the control breads had the hardest texture (1.40, 1.90, and 2.55 mJ, respectively), and the softest breads were those prepared with 15% untreated wheat bran (0.45, 0.50, and 0.65 mJ, respectively).