Amylose molecular fine structure dictates water-oil dynamics during deep-frying and the caloric density of potato crisps.

The fine structure of extractable amylose (E-AM) in potato flakes dictates oil uptake during the production of deep-fried crisps from dough made from the flakes, and thus their caloric density. High levels of short E-AM chains increase the extent of amylose crystallization during dough making and increase water binding. Time-domain proton NMR analysis showed that they also cause water to be released at a low rate during deep-frying and thus restrict dough expansion and, most importantly, oil uptake. X-ray micro-computed tomography revealed that this results in high thickness of the crisp solid matrix and reduced pore sizes. Thus, the level of short E-AM chains in potato flakes impacts amylose crystal formation, dough strength and expansion, as well as the associated oil uptake during deep-frying. Based on these results, we advise potato crisp manufacturers to source potato cultivars with high levels of short amylose chains for the production of reduced-calorie crisps and to make well-reasoned process adaptations to control the extractability of potato amylose.

Impact of mineral ions on the release of starch and gel forming capacity of potato flakes in relation to water dynamics and oil uptake during the production of snacks made thereof.

Potato flakes (PFs) are made by boiling, mashing and subsequent drying of steam peeled potatoes. Their cold-water swelling starch readily develops viscosity upon hydration. That potato starch amylopectin (AP) contains esterified phosphate groups results in rapid swelling and high viscosity of PF suspensions. This study is the first report on the impact of sodium, calcium and aluminum chloride on (i) the physicochemical properties of PFs and (ii) the water dynamics in relation to oil uptake in the production of deep-fried crisps made thereof. Adding 125 µmol cation/g PF dry matter (dm) of these salts to PF suspensions (8.0% dm) in a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) decreased the peak viscosities by 5% (sodium chloride) and 20% (calcium or aluminum chloride). While monovalent cations shield the negative charges of the phosphate monoesters on the starch chains, divalent and trivalent cations bridge phosphate groups of adjacent AP molecules and thereby reduce swelling even further. Moreover, the latter ions result in up to 20% higher RVA cold paste viscosity readings even if they do not affect amylose (AM) aggregation. They thus enhance the gelation of PFs by AP bridging. For producing deep-fried crisps, PFs, emulsifier and maltodextrin were hydrated, mixed, sheeted into dough, and deep-fried. Including the above dosage of calcium ions in its recipe increased the specific strength of the dough sheet by about 15%. Time domain proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of dough sheets showed that these ions increase the rigidity of the starchy gel network while AM crystallization remains largely unaffected. This is evidence that ionic cross-linking of AP directly strengthens the dough sheet. Moreover, the calcium ions lowered the lipid content of the deep-fried crisps by about 5% due to stronger interaction of starch polymers with water. Ionic cross-linking of AP thus improves the gel forming capacity of PFs and strengthens the starchy gel network during manufacturing of potato-based snacks resulting in crisps with a significantly lower lipid content.

Impact of physical and enzymatic cell wall opening on the release of pre-gelatinized starch and viscosity forming potential of potato flakes.

Potato flakes (PFs) are used in instant foods. They contain pre-gelatinized starch which readily develops viscosity upon hydration. We here provide the first report on factors influencing their viscosifying potential. Swelling power (SP) (r = 0.719, p < 0.01) and mean particle size (r = -0.704, p < 0.05) mainly determine instant viscosity development of PF suspensions while short extractable extracellular amylose molecules [degree of polymerization between 150 and 1500 (EE-AM150-1500)] positively impact their cold paste viscosity (CPV) (r = 0.717, p < 0.01) in Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) models. Cell wall opening by ball milling or cellulase treatments increased PF SP resulting in up to 75% higher RVA peak viscosity readings. Furthermore, the release of EE-AM150-1500 molecules increased CPV by about 30% since they readily associated upon cooling. Partial cell wall opening thus improves the viscosifying potential of PFs and expands their applicability in instant foods.

Study of the role of bran water binding and the steric hindrance by bran in straight dough bread making.

This study investigates the effect of the physical presence and water binding of wheat bran during bread making, and the possible mechanisms behind this effect. Regular bran, pericarp-enriched bran and synthetic bran-like particles with different water binding capacities and particle sizes were used. Incorporation of regular and pericarp-enriched bran in dough (15% dm) led to a lower oven rise than the control dough. Bread volumes decreased with 11% and 30%, respectively. Dough with synthetic bran, having a low water binding capacity, displayed a near to normal leavening and oven rise and resulted in a bread volume decrease of only 5% compared to the control. Particle size reduction of regular bran and synthetic bran to an average size of 200 µm did not affect final bread quality. Results indicate that water binding by bran affects bread quality the most, whereas steric hindrance by physical presence of bran particles is less determinative.

The effect of arabinoxylooligosaccharides on upper gastroduodenal motility and hunger ratings in humans.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prebiotics such as Arabinoxylooligosaccharides (AXOS) are non-digestible, fermentable food ingredients stimulating growth/activity of colonic bacteria with enhanced carbohydrates fermentation (CF) in humans. The migrating motor complex (MMC) of the gastrointestinal tract has been recently identified as an important hunger signal, but no data are available yet on the role of acute CF on MMC activity and related hunger ratings. Thus, we aimed to study the effect of acute AXOS CF on MMC and hunger in humans. METHODS: A total of 13 healthy volunteers were randomized in a single-blind crossover placebo-controlled study where 9.4 g of AXOS or 10 g of maltodextrin and 1 g of unlabelled lactose ureide (LU) were given 12 hours prior to the study and, in the next morning, together with a pancake containing 500 mg of 13 C-LU. In 10 hours after the meal, 13 CO2 and hydrogen excretion were determined every 15 minutes while hunger/appetite ratings every 2 minutes through a VAS questionnaire. Five hours after the meal, antroduodenal motility was measured using HRM. KEY RESULTS: AXOS significantly increased CF (158 ± 81 vs 840 ± 464 H2 ppm*minute, placebo vs AXOS, P < .05) without affecting the orocecal transit time (OCTT). AXOS had no significant effect on the occurrence, origin, and duration of phase III and on the total number, origin, and duration of phases I and II. Hunger and appetite scores prior and after phase III were not affected by AXOS. CONCLUSIONS: AXOS acutely increases colonic fermentation, but this neither affects OCTT, activity of the MMC, nor interdigestive hunger scores in man.

Study of biopolymer mobility and water dynamics in wheat bran using time-domain 1H NMR relaxometry.

In this study, the molecular mobility of water and biopolymers in coarse, ground, and pericarp-enriched (PE) wheat bran and refined flour was investigated using time-domain proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry, and related to their hydration properties. Several specific proton populations were present in the bran samples but not in flour. These populations were mainly assigned to protons of bran-related compounds such as arabinoxylan, cellulose, and lipids. All bran samples showed similar proton distributions at a 44% moisture level, although the chemical composition of coarse/ground bran and PE bran differed. When bran was further moistened up to 80%, an additional, more mobile water peak was noticed in coarse and PE bran, but not in ground bran. This can be explained by the fact that coarse and PE bran hold more weakly bound water than ground bran, which is most probably water entrapped in between bran particles.

Study on the effects of wheat bran incorporation on water mobility and biopolymer behavior during bread making and storage using time-domain 1H NMR relaxometry.

Water binding is suggested to be key in the deleterious effect of wheat bran on bread quality. This study investigates water mobility and biopolymer behavior during bran-rich bread making and storage, using 1H NMR. Coarse, ground, and pericarp-enriched bran were incorporated in bread dough, and their impact on freshly baked and stored bread properties was assessed. Compared to wheat flour control dough, bran incorporation resulted in a progressive immobilization of water during dough resting, which could be linked to changes in evolution of dough height during fermentation and oven rise. This, together with modified starch gelatinization behavior upon baking, can be related with the inferior quality of bran-rich breads. The impact was most pronounced with pericarp-enriched bran. Textural quality during storage was less affected for coarse or ground bran-rich bread compared to wheat flour bread, which could be principally attributed to retardation of amylopectin retrogradation in the presence of bran.

Development of an infusion method for encapsulating ascorbyl palmitate in V-type granular cold-water swelling starch.

Certain lipophilic components can be inserted very efficiently as guest molecule in the existing single helical amylose cavities in VH-type crystalline granular cold-water swelling starch (GCWSS). In the present study, ascorbyl palmitate (AscP) was used as a model guest compound. The impacts of temperature (20 and 60°C) and ethanol [48 and 68% (v/v)] and AscP [1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0% (w/w)] concentrations on encapsulation performance were investigated. First, native maize and potato starches were converted into VH-type GCWSS by aqueous ethanol [48% (v/v)] treatment at 95°C. Exposing GCWSS to AscP induced the formation of inclusion complexes when a particular solvent (and temperature) environment was met. In 48% (v/v) ethanol, raising the treatment temperature to 60°C did not significantly impact on the encapsulation performance. Maximum degrees of AscP encapsulation were 2.9 and 1.5% (w/w) for maize and potato starch, respectively, as determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. As maize GCWSS contained more 'parent' VH-type crystals, it was capable of entrapping more AscP than potato GCWSS.

Encapsulation of the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate in V-type granular cold-water swelling starch affects the properties of both.

This study reports on the functionality of V-type crystalline granular cold-water swelling starch (GCWSS) in complex with lipid (functionalized) molecules. Maize and potato GCWSS contain (empty) single helical amylose (AM) crystals which can serve as lipid complexing matrices. Different concentrations of ascorbyl palmitate (AscP) were inserted in the hydrophobic cavities of the GCWSS AM helices by a low temperature infusion method. Volumetric particle size distributions of the ensuing products in water were determined using laser light scattering. Upon contact with water, the parent maize GCWSS formed lumps more than did the parent potato GCWSS. It is hypothesized that variations in the spatial distribution of cold-water soluble V-type crystals are at the origin of this difference. In contrast, GCWSS-AscP inclusion complexes formed homogenous dispersions in water. Furthermore, the impact of inclusion complex formation on cold-water swelling properties was investigated. The close packing concentration increased and the swelling power and carbohydrate leaching decreased when the level of encapsulated AscP increased. Finally, in a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity test, encapsulated AscP still had up to 70% of the antioxidant capacity of free AscP.

The effect of arabinoxylooligosaccharides on gastric sensory-motor function and nutrient tolerance in man.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal microbiota regulates gastrointestinal sensory-motor function. Prebiotics such as arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide (AXOS) are non-digestible, fermentable food ingredients beneficially affecting intestinal microbiota, colon activity, and improving human health. We wanted to investigate whether acute AXOS or maltodextrin (placebo) administration may alter gastric sensitivity (GS), accommodation (GA), nutrient tolerance (NT) in man. METHODS: Thirteen HV (6 M, 32.2 ± 1.8 years; BMI 22.3 ± 0.2) underwent two 48 h treatment periods with oral 4 × 9.4 g AXOS or 4 × 10 g maltodextrin (at least 1 week wash-out) for gastric barostat assessment of GS, gastric compliance (GC), GA to a liquid test meal, on day 1, and NT drink test, on day 2. Oro-cecal transit-time (OCTT), colonic fermentation (CF) were assessed simultaneously with (13) C-lactose ureide, H2 breath tests. KEY RESULTS: Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide significantly increased CF on day 1 and 2 (565 ± 272 vs 100 ± 24, 365 ± 66 vs 281 ± 25 H2 ppm/min, AXOS vs maltodextrin, both p < 0.05), not the OCTT. AXOS did not alter GC, sensitivity before and after the meal. Gastric accommodation was not significantly influenced by AXOS (volume increment: 171 ± 33 vs 130 ± 28 mL, AXOS vs maltodextrin, p = NS). On day 1, AXOS fermentation was associated with significantly higher postprandial bloating scores (960 ± 235 vs 396 ± 138 mm*min, AXOS vs maltodextrin, p < 0.05). On day 2, AXOS did not affect maximal NT (946 ± 102 vs 894 ± 97 mL, AXOS vs maltodextrin, p = NS), increased the bloating score (1236 ± 339 vs 675 ± 197 mm*min, AXOS vs maltodextrin, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Acute AXOS administration, associated with increased CF, does not affect GA, is not associated with increased meal-induced satiety or perception scores.

Water electrolyte promoted oxidation of functional thiol groups.

The formation of disulfide bonds is of the utmost importance for a wide range of food products with gluten or globular proteins as functional agents. Here, the impact of mineral electrolyte composition of aqueous solutions on thiol oxidation kinetics was studied, using glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (CYS) as model systems. Interestingly, the oxidation rate of both compounds into their corresponding disulfides was significantly higher in common tap water than in ultrapure water. The systematic study of different electrolyte components showed that especially CaCl2 improved the oxidation rate of GSH. However, this effect was not observed for CYS, which indicated a strong impact of the local chemical environment on thiol oxidation kinetics.

Extractability and chromatographic characterization of wheat (triticum aestivum l.) bran protein.

About 70% of the protein for human consumption is derived from plants, with cereals as the most important source. Wheat bran protein has a more balanced amino acid profile than that of flour. We here for the first time report the amino acid, size exclusion, and SDS-PAGE profiles of bran Osborne protein fractions (OPFs). Moreover, we also investigated how OPFs are affected when physical barriers which entrap proteins in bran tissues are removed. Albumin/globulin is the most abundant OPF. It is richer in lysine and asparagine/aspartic acid than other OPF. Most bran albumin/globulin proteins have a molecular weight (MW) lower than 30 k and their chromatographic profiles differ from those of flour. The prolamin has high levels of proline and glutamine/glutamic acid. It is rich in proteins with a MW of 30 to 45 k and about 66 k reflecting contamination with gliadin from endosperm. The glutelin has high levels of glycine, proline, and glutamine/glutamic acid. Its protein is of intermediate and high MW with little protein with MW lower than 30 k. The high (MWs from 80 to 120 k) and low (MW around 45 k) MW glutenin subunits of flour are also present in bran. The glutelin of wheat endosperm is named glutenin. Ball milling releases albumin/globulin and glutelin but not prolamin. Not all glutelin was endosperm glutenin as a substantial part was entrapped in the aleurone cells.

Structural and thermal transitions during the conversion from native to granular cold-water swelling maize starch.

Native maize starch was gradually converted into granular cold-water swelling starch (GCWSS) by aqueous ethanol treatments at elevated temperatures. At a treatment temperature of 95°C, decreasing ethanol concentrations from 68 to 48% (v/v) led to decreased post-treatment gelatinization enthalpies in excess water, reflecting remaining original A-type crystals. Concomitantly to native A-type crystal melting, VH-type crystals appeared. At an ethanol concentration of 48%, a granular cold-water swelling maize starch was successfully produced. All crystals in its intact granules were of the VH-type and appeared birefringent when studied in ethanol under polarized light. Removal of all residual solvent by high temperature drying did not influence swelling power, proving that a high temperature drying step is not necessary to induce cold-water swelling capacity. Based on in situ calorimetric measurements, the thermal requirements to produce GCWSS from different ethanol:water mixtures were elucidated. This work is the first to demonstrate that the amylose fraction contributes almost exclusively to VH-type crystal formation in GCWSS.

Relative importance of moisture migration and amylopectin retrogradation for pound cake crumb firming.

Moisture migration largely impacts cake crumb firmness during storage at ambient temperature. To study the importance of phenomena other than crumb to crust moisture migration and to exclude moisture and temperature gradients during baking, crustless cakes were baked using an electrical resistance oven (ERO). Cake crumb firming was evaluated by texture analysis. First, ERO cakes with properties similar to those baked conventionally were produced. Cake batter moisture content (MC) was adjusted to ensure complete starch gelatinisation in the baking process. In cakes baked conventionally, most of the increase in crumb firmness during storage was caused by moisture migration. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) showed that the population containing protons of crystalline starch grew during cake storage. These and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data pointed to only limited amylopectin retrogradation. The limited increase in amylopectin retrogradation during cake storage cannot solely account for the significant firming of ERO cakes and, hence, other phenomena are involved in cake firming.

Low resolution 1H NMR assignment of proton populations in pound cake and its polymeric ingredients.

Based on a model system approach, five different proton populations were distinguished in pound cake crumb using one dimensional low resolution (1)H NMR spectroscopy. In free induction decay (FID) measurements, proton populations were assigned to (i) non-exchanging CH protons of crystalline starch, proteins and crystalline fat and (ii) non-exchanging CH protons of amorphous starch and gluten, which are in little contact with water. In Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) measurements, three proton populations were distinguished. The CPMG population with the lowest mobility and the FID population with the highest mobility represent the same proton population. The two CPMG proton populations with the highest mobility were assigned to exchanging protons (i.e., protons of water, starch, gluten, egg proteins and sugar) and protons of lipids (i.e., protons of egg yolk lipids and amorphous lipid fraction of margarine) respectively. Based on their spin-lattice relaxation times (T1), two dimensional (1)H NMR spectroscopy further resolved the two proton populations with the highest mobility into three and two proton populations, respectively.

Characterisation of three starch degrading enzymes: thermostable ß-amylase, maltotetraogenic and maltogenic α-amylases.

Maltogenic α-amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BStA) is widely used as bread crumb anti-firming enzyme. A maltotetraose-forming α-amylase from Pseudomonas saccharophila (PSA) was recently proposed as alternative, hence the need to compare both exo-acting enzymes with some endo-action component. A purely exo-acting thermostable ß-amylase from Clostridium thermosulfurogenes (CTB) was included for reference purposes. Under the experimental conditions used, temperature optima of the enzymes are rather similar (60-65 °C), but temperature stability decreased in the order BStA, PSA and CTB. The action of the enzymes on different substrates and their impact on the rheological behaviour of maize starch suspensions demonstrated that, while CTB acts exclusively through an exo-action mechanism, BStA displayed limited endo-action which became more pronounced at higher temperatures. PSA has more substantial endo-action than BStA, which is rather temperature independent. This is important for their impact in processes such as breadmaking, where temperature is gradually increased.

Structural and physicochemical characterisation of rye starch.

The gelatinisation, pasting and retrogradation properties of three rye starches isolated using a proteinase-based procedure were investigated and compared to those of wheat starch isolated in a comparable way. On an average, the rye starch granules were larger than those of wheat starch. The former had very comparable gelatinisation temperatures and enthalpies, but slightly lower gelatinisation temperatures than wheat starch. Under standardised conditions, they retrograded to a lesser extent than wheat starch. The lower gelatinisation temperatures and tendencies of the rye starches to retrograde originated probably from their higher levels of short amylopectin (AP) chains [degree of polymerisation (DP) 6-12] and their lower levels of longer chains (DP 13-24) than observed for wheat starch. The rapid visco analysis differences in peak and end viscosities between the rye starches as well as between rye and wheat starches were at least partly attributable to differences in the levels of AP short chains and in average amylose molecular weight. The AP average chain lengths and exterior chain lengths were slightly lower for rye starches, while the interior chain lengths were slightly higher than those for wheat starch.

Selected nondigestible carbohydrates and prebiotics support the growth of probiotic fish bacteria mono-cultures in vitro.

AIMS: To search for nondigestible but fermentable (NDF) carbohydrates and prebiotics with a potency to promote the growth of selected bacteria in vitro. METHODS AND RESULTS: The growth of three reference bacteria strains Bacillus subtilis LMG 7135(T), Carnobacterium piscicola LMG 9839, Lactobacillus plantarum LMG 9211 and one candidate probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis was investigated over a minimum period of 48 h in the presence of beta-glucan, xylo-oligosaccharide, arabinoxylo-oligosaccharide, inulin, oligofructose and glucose. Besides the capability to grow on inulin and oligofructose containing media, a distinct high growth in beta-glucan based substrates and a low growth in (arabino)xylooligosaccharide containing media were evident for most bacteria tested. With the exception of B. subtilis and L. plantarum, other bacteria grew equally well or even better on different substrates than on glucose. The fermentation of studied carbohydrates by these micro-organisms was dominated by the production of acetic acid as the main short chain fatty acid. CONCLUSIONS: Selected bacteria are able to ferment and grow on NDF and prebiotic carbohydrates but in a substrate dependent manner. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study delivers a first screening of which NDF or prebiotic carbohydrates are the most promising for aquaculture feed supplementations.

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) affect the protein/carbohydrate fermentation balance and microbial population dynamics of the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem.

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) are a recently newly discovered class of candidate prebiotics as - depending on their structure - they are fermented in different regions of gastrointestinal tract. This can have an impact on the protein/carbohydrate fermentation balance in the large intestine and, thus, affect the generation of potentially toxic metabolites in the colon originating from proteolytic activity. In this study, we screened different AXOS preparations for their impact on the in vitro intestinal fermentation activity and microbial community structure. Short-term fermentation experiments with AXOS with an average degree of polymerization (avDP) of 29 allowed part of the oligosaccharides to reach the distal colon, and decreased the concentration of proteolytic markers, whereas AXOS with lower avDP were primarily fermented in the proximal colon. Additionally, prolonged supplementation of AXOS with avDP 29 to the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) reactor decreased levels of the toxic proteolytic markers phenol and p-cresol in the two distal colon compartments and increased concentrations of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in all colon vessels (25-48%). Denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis indicated that AXOS supplementation only slightly modified the total microbial community, implying that the observed effects on fermentation markers are mainly caused by changes in fermentation activity. Finally, specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that AXOS supplementation significantly increased the amount of health-promoting lactobacilli as well as of Bacteroides-Prevotella and Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale groups. These data allow concluding that AXOS are promising candidates to modulate the microbial metabolism in the distal colon.