Co-ingestion of Cereals and Legumes during Infant Complementary Feeding: Starch and Protein in vitro Digestion.

This study explores the impact of co-ingesting cereals and legumes on starch and protein during simulated infant in vitro digestion. Various legumes (chickpeas, lentils, peas) were added to cereals (durum wheat, brown rice, white maize), and their effects on starch and protein hydrolysis were analyzed. Substituting 50% of cereal with legumes increased proteins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Infant food with legumes exhibited smoother pasting properties. Legumes in cereal purées led to varying starch hydrolysis trends, with the lowest values in durum wheat with chickpea and all cereal blends with peas. Resistant starch levels exceeding 50% were found in infant food samples. Digested protein hydrolysis increased with legumes in durum wheat, except for peas. Brown rice mixtures decreased significantly compared to the control with chickpeas (61%) and peas (42%), while lentil blends increased by 46%. Legumes generally did not significantly affect starch bioavailability, even with α-amylase inhibitors. Lentil-cereal purées could enhance infant food nutritional value.

Flour and starch characteristics of soft wheat cultivars and their effect on cookie quality.

Studies on Argentinian soft wheat cultivars are scarce, although the flours obtained from these wheats are the most suitable for cookie making. This work studies the behavior of the flours obtained from 44 adapted soft wheat lines harvested in two consecutive years for cookie making, focusing on starch properties. Starch granule size distribution, and thermal and pasting properties of flour samples were studied. Large variations in flour and starch characteristics were found between all experimental lines, indicating a wide variability among wheat genotypes and a noticeable effect of crop year conditions. Starch granule size distribution showed the typical bimodal distribution observed for wheat. Flours with higher proportion of large A-type granules were associated with lower damaged starch (DS). As expected, the lower the DS content, the lower the solvent retention capacity, gelatinization temperature and enthalpy, with a positive impact on cookie diameter. Flours from soft wheat genotypes with higher proportion of large A-type granules were associated with lower DS content and reduced water absorption capacity. Both genotype and environment exert an effect on soft wheat flour characteristics.

Gluten-free sorghum pasta: starch digestibility and antioxidant capacity compared with commercial products.

BACKGROUND: The development of new products with a focus on nutrition, rather than other technical aspects, is essential to improve the quality of celiac diets. Nutritional attributes of white and brown sorghum gluten-free pasta developed in a previous work were analyzed. The extent and kinetics of starch in vitro digestion, estimated glycemic index (eGI), potentially bioaccessible and dialyzable polyphenols, and antioxidant activity were evaluated and compared with commercial products. RESULTS: Sorghum flour samples were used to obtain pasta with high protein (≈170 g kg-1 ), dietary fiber (≈80 g kg-1 ), polyphenols (2.6 g GA kg-1 pasta), and antioxidant activity. This sorghum pasta showed slower starch in vitro digestion than the other gluten-free pasta, with a high level of protein hydrolysis (76%). The highest eGI was observed in a rice sample (69.8) followed by a corn-based pasta (66.4). White and brown sorghum gluten-free pasta showed 2.9 and 2.4 times, respectively, higher potentially bioaccessible polyphenol content compared to that in cooked pasta. No significant variation in antioxidant activity was found in sorghum pasta after digestion and around 48% and 36% of activity was detected in dialysate. CONCLUSION: Both types of sorghum gluten-free pasta have demonstrated their nutritional value and represent a good potential alternative to current commercial pasta. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Influence of Different Air-Drying Conditions on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Berries.

The aim of the present research was to study the effect of convective drying on color, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of berry fruits and to chemically characterize the polyphenolic composition of raspberry, boysenberry, redcurrants, and blackcurrants fruit. Drying berries at 65 °C provoked the best conservations of color, particularly for boysenberry and blackcurrant. Drying at 65 °C was also the condition that showed higher level of polyphenols, while drying at 50 or 130 °C showed above % degradation of them due to the long time or high temperature drying. Radical scavenging activity was the predominant antioxidant mechanism in all samples, with 65 °C dried berries being the most active ones possibly because of polyphenol depolymerization. The anthocyanin profile showed that delphinidin and cyanidin derivatives were the most abundant anthocyanidins with different predominance between berry genera. Degradation of anthocyanins was increased with drying temperature been Cy 3-glucoside and Cy 3-rutinoside the most abundant.

Effects on bread and oil quality after functionalization with microencapsulated chia oil.

BACKGROUND: Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids-rich oils suffer oxidation reactions that alter their chemical and organoleptic quality. Microencapsulation can be a powerful tool for protection against ambient conditions. In the present study, the addition of microencapsulated chia oil as an ingredient in bread preparations and its effect on the technological and chemical quality of breads was investigated. RESULTS: Microencapsulation of chia oil was carried out by freeze-drying with soy proteins as wall material and oil release was determined under in vitro gastric and intestinal conditions. Encapsulated oil-containing bread showed no differences in specific volume, average cell area, firmness and chewiness with respect to control bread. Unencapsulated oil-containing bread showed a marked increase in hydroperoxide values respect to control, whereas encapsulated oil-containing bread values were not affected by baking and bread storage. The fatty acid profiles showed a decrease of 13% and 16%, respectively, in α-linolenic acid in the encapsulated and unencapsulated oils with respect to bulk chia oil. Sensory analysis showed no significant differences between bread samples. CONCLUSION: The addition of encapsulated chia oil did not alter the technological quality of breads and prevented the formation of hydroperoxide radicals. A ration of encapsulated oil-containing bread contributes 60% of the recommended dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Relationships between structural fat properties with sensory, physical and textural attributes of yeast-leavened laminated salty baked product.

The aim of this study was to establish relationships between structural fat properties and sensory, physical and textural attributes of yeast-leavened laminated salty products. Refined bovine fat (MG1) and shortening (MG2), with a solid fat content (SFC) higher than 20% at temperature range of 15-35 °C were more viscous and less sensitive to temperature changes. The micrographs of dough|fat|dough sections corresponding to samples with MG1 and MG2 revealed a lower penetration of the fat sheet in the dough section due to the more entangled fat structures that did not allow a great flow throughout the dough layer. Consequently, the structure of laminated dough pieces made the systems highly resistant to deformation. The laminated dough pieces elaborated with these fats showed the highest increments in their height and maintained symmetry. Products with fat with least SFC and higher destructuration rate produced smoother laminated structures due to the presence of pores. While products with MG1 and MG2 showed tortuous images and complex structures, associated to layers and extended pores. MG1 and MG2 products were preferred (flavor and appearance) over those with MG3. The highest ranking samples in the acceptability analysis were symmetric, presented very flaky crusts and had a high level of lamination.

Effect of different fibers on dough properties and biscuit quality.

BACKGROUND: This study forms part of a broader project aimed at understanding the role of fibers from different sources in high-fat, high-sugar biscuits and at selecting the best fibers for biscuit quality. The main purpose of this work was to understand the rheological and structural properties involved in fiber-enriched biscuit dough. High-amylose corn starch (RSII), chemically modified starch (RSIV), oat fiber (OF) and inulin (IN) were used at two different levels of incorporation (6 and 12 g) in dough formulation. The influence of fiber on the properties of biscuit dough was studied via dynamic rheological tests, confocal microscopy and spreading behavior. Biscuit quality was assessed by width/thickness factor, texture and surface characteristics, total dietary fiber and sensory evaluation. RESULTS: Main results indicated that IN incorporation increased the capacity of dough spreading during baking and thus improved biscuit quality. OF reduced dough spreading during baking and strongly increased its resistance to deformation. RSII and RSIV slightly affected the quality of the biscuits. Sensory evaluation revealed that the panel liked IN-incorporated biscuits as much as control biscuits. CONCLUSION: The increase in total dietary fiber modified dough behavior and biscuit properties, and the extent of these effects depended on the type of fiber incorporated. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Use of alpha-amylase and amyloglucosidase combinations to minimize the bread quality problems caused by high levels of damaged starch.

The objective of this work was to investigate the contribution of α-amylase and amyloglucosidase to dough fermentation process and bread quality, as an alternative to reduce the negative effects caused by high damaged starch in flour. The dough properties during the proofing process were modified by higher damaged starch content. Higher damaged starch in flour resulted into breads with darker crusts and firmer crumbs. The enzymes reduced the negative influence of damaged starch, producing a positive effect on the maximum carbon dioxide pressure reached during fermentation and the carbon dioxide volume retained by dough. Incorporation of alpha-amylase reduced dimension ratio and crumb firmness attributes; however, progressive additions of this additive produced lower bread volume and red intensity, and higher crumb firmness. The amyloglucosidase additions produced higher bread volume and red intensity of the crust, and lower brightness crust and gas cell diameter. Incorporation of amyloglucosidase was beneficial in the presence of a suitable quantity of damaged starch. The results confirmed that the α-amylase and amyloglucosidase additions significantly improved bread quality. Incorporation of α-amylase and amyloglucosidase led to higher bread loaves and lower crumb firmness throughout the storage period, promoting a longer life of the finished product.

Use of enzymes to minimize the rheological dough problems caused by high levels of damaged starch in starch-gluten systems.

BACKGROUND: During wheat milling, starch granules can experience mechanical damage, producing damaged starch. High levels of damaged starch modify the physicochemical properties of wheat flour, negatively affecting the dough behavior as well as the flour quality and cookie and bread making quality. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of α-amylase, maltogenic amylase and amyloglucosidase on dough rheology in order to propose alternatives to reduce the issues related to high levels of damaged starch. RESULTS: The dough with a high level of damaged starch became more viscous and resistant to deformations as well as less elastic and extensible. The soluble fraction of the doughs influenced the rheological behavior of the systems. The α-amylase and amyloglucosidase reduced the negative effects of high damaged starch contents, improving the dough rheological properties modified by damaged starch. The rheological behavior of dough with the higher damaged-starch content was related to a more open gluten network arrangement as a result of the large size of the swollen damaged starch granules. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that the dough rheological properties of systems with high damaged starch content changed positively as a result of enzyme action, particularly α-amylase and amyloglucosidase additions, allowing the use of these amylases and mixtures of them as corrective additives. Little information was reported about amyloglucosidase activity alone or combined with α-amylase. The combinations of these two enzymes are promising to minimize the negative effects caused by high levels of damaged starch on product quality. More research needs to be done on bread quality combining these two enzymes. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Yeast-Leavened Laminated Salty Baked Goods: Flour and Dough Properties and Their Relationship with Product Technological Quality.

The effect of protein composition and content on the characteristics and properties of laminated baked products has been studied for a long time. However, there are no flour quality parameters related to its suitability to produce yeast-leavened laminated salty baked products. The relationships among flour characteristics, laminated dough pieces and baked products were studied in order to establish flour quality parameters and help predict the quality of the products. Yeast-leavened salty laminated products made with hard wheat flour had better quality properties than the products made with soft wheat flour. Hydrophilic components and a high gluten network quality are responsible for the generation of a rigid structure and viscous dough. Consequently, during baking, the dough rises rather than extends laterally and does not experience any change in the expected shape. Among the analysed flour characteristics, glutenin macropolymer content, lactic acid and sodium carbonate solvent retention capacities together with dough viscosity and resistance to deformation were the variables which influenced the most the quality of yeast-leavened salty laminated products.

Effect of amaranth flour (Amaranthus mantegazzianus) on the technological and sensory quality of bread wheat pasta.

The technological and sensory quality of pasta made from bread wheat flour substituted with wholemeal amaranth flour (Amaranthus mantegazzianus) at four levels, 15, 30, 40 and 50% w/w was investigated. The quality of the resulted pasta was compared to that of control pasta made from bread wheat flour. The flours were analyzed for chemical composition and pasting properties. Cooking behavior, color, raw and cooked pasta texture, scanning electron microscopy and sensory evaluation were determined on samples. The pasta obtained from amaranth flour showed some detriment of the technological and sensory quality. So, a maximum substitution level of 30% w/w was defined. This is an equilibrium point between an acceptable pasta quality and the improved nutritional and functional properties from the incorporation of amaranth flour.

Evaluation of the mechanical damage on wheat starch granules by SEM, ESEM, AFM and texture image analysis.

The effect of mechanical damage on wheat starch granules surface, at a microstructural level, was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and image textural analysis. The SEM and ESEM images of the native sample showed that the starch granules had smooth, flat surfaces and smooth edges. The samples with higher damaged starch content exhibited granular distortion, irregularity and less uniformity. The fractal dimension of contour parameter increased with mechanical damage, indicating that the surface irregularities quantitatively increased due to the damage. The surfaces of damaged granules showed depressions of different shapes and sizes. The roughness parameters and fractal dimension of the surface increased as a result of the mechanical damage. The surface of damaged granules showed higher entropy and lower homogeneity values when damaged starch increased. The results indicated that the mechanical process caused structural modifications at nano level.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L) gel can be used as egg or oil replacer in cake formulations.

This study determined the overall acceptability, sensory characteristics, functional properties, and nutrient content of cakes made using chia (Salvia hispanica L) gel as a replacement for oil or eggs. Chia gel was used to replace 25%, 50%, and 75% of oil or eggs in a control cake formulation. Seventy-five untrained panelists participated in rating cakes on a seven-point hedonic scale. Analysis of variance conducted on the sensory characteristics and overall acceptability indicated a statistically significant effect when replacing oil or eggs for color, taste, texture, and overall acceptability (P<0.05). Post hoc analysis (using Fisher's least significant difference method) indicated that the 25% chia gel cakes were not significantly different from the control for color, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. The 50% oil substituted (with chia gel) cake, compared to control, had 36 fewer kilocalories and 4 g less fat per 100-g portion. Cake weight was not affected by chia gel in the formulation, although cake volume was lower as the percentage of substitution increased. Symmetry was generally not affected. This study demonstrates that chia gel can replace as much as 25% of oil or eggs in cakes while yielding a more nutritious product with acceptable sensory characteristics.

The occurrence of friabilins in triticale and their relationship with grain hardness and baking quality.

Grain hardness is a quality parameter in wheat and other cereals. In wheat, a group of M(r) 15 000 proteins called friabilins have been shown to be related to grain hardness. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of friabilins on starch granules of different triticale lines and their relationship with grain texture and baking quality. The triticale lines studied have a wide range of hardness, which presented correlation with baking quality parameters such as damaged starch and solvent retention capacity. All of the triticale lines contained friabilins on the starch granules. However, the correlation between hardness and friabilin content was not observed, suggesting that these proteins would not be directly involved in grain texture determination of triticale. Consequently, friabilin content did not have any relation with cookie quality in triticale flours, but it could be related to breadmaking quality because it has a positive correlation with the sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation index.

Utilization of enzyme mixtures to retard bread crumb firming.

The influence of enzyme mixtures containing amylase and lipase activities on straight dough bread staling was studied. Amylopectin retrogradation, crumb firming, amylose-lipid complexes, and dextrin production were analyzed in bread samples supplemented with two enzyme mixtures. The addition of enzyme mixtures to bread formula causes a beneficial effect on bread keeping properties and the formation of a more thermostable amylose-lipid complex than the one found in control bread. Amylopectin retrogradation was inhibited by the use of the enzyme; the effect was accompanied by reduced crumb-firming rates. The enzymatically generated water-soluble dextrins (maltose and DP3, DP4, DP5, and DP6 dextrins) are the most effective in preserving crumb softness during bread storage.