New insights into how freeze-drying and cryo-milling affects the fine structure and digestibility of gelatinized starch.

Freeze-drying (FD) and cryo-milling (CM) are common methods for preparing powder gelatinized starch samples. This study investigates the structural characterization of raw/gelatinized maize starches and digestibility after FD/CM processes to elucidate their effect on starch digestibility determination. Results showed that FD slightly increased digestibility, while higher initial glucose content in CM samples, especially for gelatinized samples. Only FD retained the granular morphology and relative crystallinity (RC), while gelatinized-FD decreased RC by 75%. CM decreased RC by 12%, while gelatinized-CM decreased it by 97%. Combined with short-range and chain structural results, FD tended to disrupt internal connected chains through volume stress, while CM cleaved glycosidic bonds in external chain. Stretched chains in gelatinized starch promoted the breakage of chains during shearing and their efficient binding with digestive enzymes. These findings would provide a basis for pre-treatment of powder samples and processes of starch- rich foods.

Rheological properties, multiscale structure, and in vitro digestibility of a maize starch-konjac glucomannan-bamboo leaf flavonoid complex modified by dynamic high-pressure microfluidization.

The effects of dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) treatment on the rheological properties, multiscale structure and in vitro digestibility of complex of maize starch (MS), konjac glucomannan (KGM), and bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) were investigated. Compared with MS, the MS-KGM-BLF complex exhibited reduced viscosity and crystallinity, along with increased lamellar thickness to 10.26 nm. MS-KGM-BLF complex had lower viscosity after DHPM treatment. The highest ordered structure and crystallinity were observed at 50 MPa, with the α value increasing from 3.40 to 3.59 and the d value decreasing from 10.26 to 9.81 nm. However, higher DHPM pressures resulted in a decrease in the α value and an increase in the d value. The highest gelatinization enthalpy and resistant starch content were achieved at 100 MPa DHPM, while the fractal structure shifted from surface fractal to mass fractal at 150 MPa. This study presents an innovative method for enhancing the properties of MS.

Structural elucidation and functional characteristics of novel potential prebiotics produced from Limosilactobacillus reuteri N1 GtfB-treated maize starches.

The recently characterized Limosilactobacillus reuteri N1 GtfB (LrN1 GtfB) from glycoside hydrolase family 70 is a novel 4,6-α-glucanotransferase acting on starch/maltooligosaccharides with high enzyme activity and soluble protein yield (in heterogenous system). In this study, the influence of the treatment by LrN1 GtfB on the fine structure and functional characteristics of three maize starches were furtherly investigated and elucidated. Due to the treatment of LrN1 GtfB, the starch molecules were transformed into reuterans containing linear and branched (α1 â†’ 6) linkages with notably smaller molecular weight and shorter chain length. Moreover, the (α1 â†’ 6) linkage ratios in the GtfB-modified high-amylose maize starch (GHMS)/normal maize starch (GNMS)/waxy maize starch (GWMS) increased by 18.3 %/12.6 %/9.0 % as compared to their corresponding controls. In vitro digestibility experiment revealed that the resistant starch content of GHMS, GNMS and GWMS increased by 16 %, 18 % and 25 % as compared to the starch substrates. Furthermore, the butyric acid yielded from GHMS, GNMS and GWMS in the in vitro fermentation experiments were 1.4, 1.5 and 1.4 times higher than those of commercial galactose oligosaccharides. These results indicated that the highly-branched short-clustered reuteran synthesized by LrN1 GtfB might serve as novel potential prebiotics, and provide insights for the synthesis of promising prebiotic dietary fiber from starch.

Structural Factors That Determine the Amylolytic Properties of Starch-Lipid Complexes.

Structural factors that determine the amylolysis of starch-lipid complexes have remained unclear. Understanding the relationship between the structure and amylolysis of starch-lipid complexes is important for the design and preparation of complexes with predictable digestibility. In this study, the multiscale structures and amylolytic properties of complexes formed under different conditions between debranched high-amylose starch (DHAMS) and lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids were investigated. Higher complexing temperatures facilitated the formation of DHAMS-fatty acid (FA) complexes, especially the more stable type II crystallites. Longer complexing times also promoted the formation of complexes and the type II crystallites, except for DHAMS-lauric acid (LA). Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the binding free energy for the formation of DHAMS-LA complexes (10 kJ/mol) was lower than those for the other three DHAMS-FA complexes (20-50 kJ/mol), accounting for the lower stability of DHAMS-LA complexes at longer complexing times. The rate and extent of enzymatic digestion of the DHAMS-FA complexes were much lower in comparison to those of gelatinized HAMS. Correlation analyses showed that the rate and extent of enzymic digestion of DHAMS-FA complexes were mainly determined by the degree of crystallite perfection of the complexes.

Mild alkali treatment alters structure and properties of maize starch: The potential role of alkali in starch chemical modification.

Normal and waxy maize starches were treated with mild alkali treatment (pH 8.5, 9.9, 11.3) in two temperature-time combinations (25 °C for 1 h and 50 °C for 18 h) to investigate the effect on starch structure and properties. Mild alkali treatment partly removed the starch granule-associated proteins and lipids of normal (from 0.31 % to 0.24 % and from 0.77 % to 0.55 %, respectively) and waxy maize starches (from 0.22 % to 0.18 % and from 0.24 % to 0.15 %, respectively). Gelatinization enthalpy of waxy maize starch increased with alkali treatment from 16.20 J·g-1 to 21.95 J·g-1, indicating that amylopectin (AP) rearrangement and AP-AP double helices formation might occur. But amylose could inhibit these effects by restricting mobility of amylopectin, and no such changes occurred for normal maize starch. Alkali treatment decreased gelatinization temperature and increased peak and final viscosity. Alkali treatment decreased trough viscosity and increased setback of normal maize starch. The hydrothermal treatment promoted the effect of alkali, attributed to the more rapid molecular motion at higher temperature. Normal and waxy starches showed different changes after alkali treatment, indicating that amylose played an important role in controlling the effect of alkali and hydrothermal treatment, primarily as an obstructer of amylopectin rearrangement in mild alkali treatment.

Preparation of starch/PVA nanoparticles and evaluation of their ability to stabilize Pickering emulsions.

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymer-based nanoparticles (NPs) hold great promise for various industries. We report the first development of composite NPs consisting of starch (St) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using the nanoprecipitation technique with ethanol as an antisolvent. We varied the St:PVA ratios in the precursor solutions to evaluate their impact on the structure and properties of the composite NPs. The ratios used were 4:1, 1:1, and 1:4. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis revealed distinct XRD and TGA patterns for the composite St/PVANPs compared to their corresponding physical blends. This indicated the presence of mixed St/PVA crystallites within their structures. Additionally, the crystallinity of St/PVANPs increased with rising St content. Dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy showed that nanoparticle sizes increased with higher PVA proportions. The St/PVANPs showed superior performance as stabilizers in Pickering emulsions, forming denser continuous networks in the gel-like structure of the emulsions. Additionally, increasing the PVA content in the composition of St/PVANPs strengthened the structure of Pickering emulsions. The emulsion stabilized by St20/PVA80NPs showed exceptional stability for one month. These findings highlight the potential of St/PVANPs as innovative materials for various applications, including emulsion stabilization.

In vitro gastric digestion of polysaccharides in mixed dispersions: Evaluating the contribution of human salivary α-amylase on starch molecular breakdown.

The aim of this work was to investigate the impact of the addition of salivary α-amylase on starch hydrolysis in protein-containing dispersions during an in vitro digestion process. In vitro digestion provides useful insights on the fate of nutrients during gastro-intestinal transit in complex food matrices, an important aspect to consider when developing highly nutritious foods. Many foods contain polysaccharides, and as their disruption in the gastric stage is limited, salivary α-amylase is often neglected in in vitro studies. A reference study on the effect of salivary α-amylase using one of the most advanced and complex in vitro digestion models (INFOGEST) is, however, not available. Hence, this work reports the gastrointestinal breakdown of three mixed dispersions containing whey protein isolate with different polysaccharides: potato starch, pectin from citrus peel and maize starch. The latter was also studied after heating. No polysaccharide or salivary α-amylase-dependent effect on protein digestion was found, based on the free NH2 and SDS-PAGE. However, in the heat-treated samples, the addition of salivary α-amylase showed a significantly higher starch hydrolysis compared to the sample without α-amylase, due to the gelatinization of the starch granules, which improved the accessibility of the starch molecules to the enzyme. This work demonstrated that the presence of different types of polysaccharides does not affect protein digestion, but also it emphasizes the importance of considering the influence of processing on food structure and its digestibility, even in the simplest model systems.

Elucidating the influence and mechanism of different phenols on the properties, food quality and function of maize starch.

This study discusses interaction differences between three phenols (protocatechuic acid, naringin and tannic acid) and starch helix, investigates influences of phenols at different doses on properties of maize starch, and further determines their effects on quality and function of maize-starchy foods. Simulated results indicate variations of phenolic structure (phenolic hydroxyl group amount, glycoside structure and steric hindrance) and dose induce phenols form different complexes with starch helix. Formation of different starch-phenols complexes alters gelatinization (1.65-5.63 J/g), pasting form, water binding capacity (8.83-12.69 g/g) and particle size distribution of starch. Meanwhile, differences in starch-phenols complexes are reflected in fingerprint area (R1045/1022: 0.920 to 1.047), crystallinity (8.3% to 17.0%), rheology and gel structure of starch. Additionally, phenols change texture and color of cold maize cake, giving them different antioxidant capacity and lower digestibility. Findings are beneficial for understanding interaction between starch and different phenols and their potential application.

Effect of cation valence on the retrogradation, gelatinization and gel characteristics of maize starch.

This study aimed to examine the impact of trivalent, divalent, or monovalent cations dissolving into water and being mixed with maize starch to influence its retrogradation, gelatinization, and gel characteristics. The result of the analysis using a differential scanning calorimeter showed that all cations raised the peak of gelatinization temperature of maize starch, especially Al3+ or Fe3+, while trivalent cations reduced the enthalpy. The result of the analysis using a rapid viscosity analyzer showed that trivalent cation caused lower trough viscosity, final viscosity, and pasting temperature but higher breakdown viscosity of maize starch than monovalent or divalent cations. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the cation promoted the destruction of gelatinized maize starch granules, especially Zn2+, Fe3+, or Al3+. Additionally, trivalent Fe3+ or Al3+ caused higher gel strength of maize starch. Generally, the cation with higher valence changed more retrogradation, gelatinization, and gel characteristics of maize starch.

A preparation of debranched waxy maize starch derivatives: Effect of drying temperatures on crystallization and digestibility.

The impact of recrystallization conditions and drying temperatures on the crystallization and digestibility of native waxy maize (Zea mays L.) starch (NWMS) was explored. This study involved subjecting NWMS to concurrent debranching and crystallization at 50 °C for up to 7 days. Samples were collected by oven-drying at 40, 60, and 80 °C for 24 h. This simultaneous debranching and crystallization process increased the resistant starch (RS) content by approximately 48 % compared to the native starch. The drying temperatures significantly influenced the RS content, with samples dried at 60 °C exhibiting the lowest digestibility. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that most crystals demonstrated a characteristic A-type arrangement. Debranching and crystallization processes enhanced the crystallinity of the samples. The specific crystal arrangement (A- or B-type) depended on the crystallization conditions. A 15 min heating of NWMS in a boiling water bath increased the digestible fraction to over 90 %, while the samples subjected to debranching and crystallization showed an increase to only about 45 %. A linear correlation between starch fractions and enthalpy was also observed.

The impact of processing technology on microbial community composition and functional properties of Beninese maize ogi.

Traditionally fermented maize starch, called ogi, is produced to prepare akpan, a yoghurt-like street food widely consumed in Benin. Current maize ogi production practices were compared to assess the impact of different processing technologies on the characteristics of the fermented product as a basis to determine best practices. Maize starch slurry samples were collected from processors in five municipalities in southern Benin and analysed before fermentation (starch samples) and after spontaneous fermentation (ogi samples). Four technological pathways for maize starch production were distinguished based on variations in the duration of steeping the grains, which ranged from 6 to 72 h, and whether or not kneading of the wet flour before filtration was practised. Six categories of maize ogi were derived from the four technology groups based on the duration of the fermentation, which lasted from 6 to 24 h. The average pH of maize starch varied from 3.2 to 5.3, with the lowest values for the two technology groups that also had the highest lactate concentrations (9-11.8 g/L). The six maize ogi categories had a pH ranging from 3.1 to 4.0. Viable plate counts of lactic acid bacteria were similar for maize starch samples and for ogi samples, whereas yeast counts showed clear differences. Members of the genera Limosilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Weissella, Streptococcus and Ligilactobacillus, dominated the bacterial community in maize starch, and were also dominant in maize ogi. The members of the genera dominating the fungal community in maize starch were also dominant in maize ogi, except for Aspergillus and Stenocarpella spp., which decreased in relative abundance by fermentation. The highest total free essential amino acid concentration was 61.6 mg/L in maize starch and 98.7 mg/L in ogi. The main volatile organic compounds in maize starch samples were alcohols, esters, and carboxylic acids, which also prevailed in maize ogi samples. The results indicate that the characteristics of traditional maize ogi depend on the processing technologies used to produce the maize starch before the intentional fermentation into ogi, with no clear-cut connection with the production practices due to high variations between samples from the same technology groups. This revealed the importance of a standardized maize starch production process, which would benefit controlling the starch fermentation and the characteristics of maize ogi. Further research is needed to understand the hidden fermentation during maize starch production for determination of the best practices that support the production of quality maize ogi.

Butyryl group distribution modulates the structure and properties of butyrylated maize starch focused on amylose contents.

In this study, four types of maize starch with different amylose contents (3 %, 25 %, 40 %, and 70 %) were used to prepare butyrylated starches. Based on amylose contents, the influence of butyryl group distribution on the structure, thermal and digestive properties of butyrylated maize starch was investigated. The butyrylation reaction mainly substituted butyryl groups on amylose, and the butyryl groups were most easily substituted for the hydroxyl group at the C6 position. The degree of substitution of butyrylated starch reached its maximum when the amylose content was 40 %, and the degree of substitution did not correlate linearly with the amylose content. The butyrylation reaction increased the surface roughness, decreased the crystallinity, enthalpy value and molecular weight of native starch granules, resulting in a decrease in the degree of internal order of the starch and inducing the rearrangement of the amylose molecular chains in the amorphous region of the starch. The combination of the amylose content and the substitution of butyryl groups on amylose affected the digestibility of starch and ultimately increased its resistance. The Pearson correlation coefficient further confirmed the correlation between the distribution of butyryl groups and the structure and properties of butyrylated starch.

An effective moisture interference correction method for maize powder NIR spectra analysis.

The detection of maize starch content is of great significance for maize processing industry and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an ideal rapid detection technology. However, the interference of moisture in maize is a bottleneck problem that affects the accuracy of NIRS quantitative analysis. In this study, we proposed methods based on external parameter orthogonalization (EPO) combined with wavelength selection algorithms to bring more accurate analytical results. Two groups of maize starch samples with different moisture content distributions were investigated to compare the predictive performance of NIRS models. The results showed that the model built using EPO combined with the synergy interval partial least squares (EPO-siPLS) algorithm exhibited the superior prediction accuracy, whose RMSEP/RMSEPck is improved by 9.7 % compared with that of siPLS model, 25.3 % compared with that of EPO-PLS, and 45.8 % compared with that of the PLS model. This study provides a more accurate and robust new method for rapid detection of maize starch and offers new insights for its application.

Reduction of starch granule surface lipids alters the physicochemical properties of crosslinked maize starch.

Normal and waxy maize starches with and without removal of starch granule surface lipids (SGSLs) were crosslinked by POCl3 (0.01 %, 0.1 % and 1 %). Crosslinked starches showed lower swelling power and solubility, but higher pasting viscosity, pseudoplasticity, thixotropy, storage modulus and loss modulus. Crosslinking increased the double helical structure but decreased the crystallinity for waxy maize starch. The phosphorus content of crosslinked waxy maize starches after SGSLs removal increased, indicating SGSLs removal promoted crosslinking. SGSLs removal increased G' and G" for crosslinked waxy maize starches. SGSLs removal increased SP and solubility and decreased pasting and rheological parameters of starches. With increased POCl3 dosage, the effect of SGSLs removal on starch properties was gradually suppressed by crosslinking. Waxy and normal maize starches showed significantly different changes with crosslinking and SGSLs removal, and the presence of amylose seemed to impede the effect of crosslinking and SGSLs removal. The removal of SGSLs could extend the application of crosslinked starch in frozen foods, drinks, and canned foods as thickener and stabilizer, due to its better hydrophilicity and viscous liquid-like rheological properties. The study will assist carbohydrate chemists and food processors in developing new food products.

Methodology and development of a high-protein plant-based cheese alternative.

Animal-based food products, such as meat and dairy, contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions in the food sector. This, coupled with the demonstrably worsening climate crisis, means that there needs to be a shift to more sustainable alternatives in the form of plant-based foods. In particular, the plant-based cheese alternative industry is relevant, as the products lack critical functionalities and nutrition compared to their dairy-based counterparts. Waxy starch, plant-protein isolate, and coconut oil were combined to create a novel high-protein (18% w/w) plant-based cheese alternative. We determined that when using native waxy starch, we can enhance its existing viscoelastic properties by modulating gelatinization through adding plant protein and fat. Texture profile analysis indicated that the cheese analogues could reach hardness levels of 15-90N, which allowed samples to be tailored to a broader range of dairy products. We determined that plant proteins and fat can behave as particulate fillers, enhance network strength, and create strategic junction points during starch retrogradation. The degree of melt and stretch of the high-protein plant-based analogues were 2-3 times greater than those observed for commercial plant-based cheese alternatives and significantly more similar to dairy cheese. The rheological melting kinetics saw that the high-protein plant-based cheese alternative displayed more viscous properties with increasing temperature. Tan δ (G"/G') at 80 °C was used as an indicator for sample meltability where, values ≥1 indicate better melt and more viscous systems. The high-protein plant-based cheese alternative reached Tan δ values upwards to 0.7, whereas commercial plant-based cheese alternatives only reached tan δ values around 0.1. Ultimately, the novel high-protein plant-based cheese alternative demonstrates the use of simple ingredients to form complex food systems.

Short communication: Quantifying postruminal starch fermentation in early-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows.

It has previously been shown that fermentation may contribute substantially to small intestinal carbohydrate disappearance. The fact that the energetic efficiency of starch fermentation is considerably less than that of enzymatic digestion of starch, makes it of nutritional importance to quantify the level of postruminal starch fermentation for dairy cows. Hence, we subjected six rumen-fistulated Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (48 ± 17 days in milk) to 5 d of continuous abomasal infusions of 0.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mol NH4Cl/d, with and without 3 kg ground maize/d, followed by 2 d of rest in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. A total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of (DM basis) 70% grass silage and 30% concentrate was fed at 95% of ad libitum intake. Separation of postruminal starch disappearance into enzymatically digested starch and fermented starch was based on the measurement of natural 13C enrichment of the TMR, abomasally infused ground maize, and resulting 13C enrichment of faeces. Within each cow, 0.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mol NH4Cl/d without ground maize served as control for the same levels of NH4Cl with 3 kg ground maize/d. Abomasal infusion of ground maize was associated with increased total DM and starch intake, faecal starch excretion, and digestibility of starch, and with decreased digestibility of DM and N. The increased faecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) output and 13C enrichment of the individual VFA indicate increased starch fermentation with abomasally infused ground maize. On average, 1 311 g starch/d was postruminally fermented, representing 60.8% of total starch intake. Overall, postruminal starch fermentation of early-lactation dairy cows abomasally infused with 3 kg ground maize/d is considerable and may result in substantial amounts of VFA rather than glucose production.

The interaction and physicochemical properties of the starch-polyphenol complex: Polymeric proanthocyanidins and maize starch with different amylose/amylopectin ratios.

This study investigated the impact of polymeric proanthocyanidins (PPC) on the physicochemical characteristics of maize starch with varying amylose content, and their potential interaction mechanism. PPC with a lower content (1 %) reduced the viscoelasticity of the high amylose maize starch (HAM) system, inhibited amylose rearrangement, and enhanced its fluidity. However, excessive PPC restrained the interaction between PPC and amylose. In contrast to HAM, PPC improved the gelation ability of waxy maize starch (WAM) as PPC concentration was raised. PPC suppressed the recrystallization of starch during storage, and PPC had a superior inhibition influence on the retrogradation of WAM in comparison to HAM. This indicated that amylopectin was more likely to interact with PPC than amylose. Hydrogen bonds were the main driving force between PPC and starch chains, which was clarified by Fourier transform-infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, iodine bonding reaction, and dynamic light scattering data. Additionally, the mechanism of interaction between PPC and the two starch components may be similar, and variance in physicochemical attributes can be primarily credited to the percentage of amylose to amylopectin in starch.

Impacts of fatty acid type on binding state, fine structure, and in vitro digestion of debranched starch-fatty acid complexes with different debranching degrees.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fatty acid (FA) type on the binding state, fine structure, and digestibility of debranched maize starch (DMS)-FA complexes with different enzymatic debranching degrees. Maize starch was hydrolyzed by pullulanase for 1 h (DMS1h) and 6 h (DMS6h) and then complexed with seven types of FAs with varying chain lengths and unsaturation degrees, respectively. All the DMS-FA complexes showed V6III-type and B-type crystals. Complex formation greatly increased the relative crystallinity of DMS, but significantly decreased its order degree of short-range structure (p < 0.05). Compared with unsaturated FAs, saturated FAs possessed stronger intermolecular interactions with DMS. DMS6h-FA complexes exhibited a markedly higher complexing degree (p < 0.05) than the corresponding DMS1h-FA complexes. The FA molecules in DMS1h-FA complexes were primarily physically trapped outside the amylose helices, whereas those in DMS6h-FA complexes were mainly weakly bound to the cavity of amylose helices. The resistant starch (RS) content and relative crystallinity of DMS-FA complexes considerably increased with increasing FA chain length. Furthermore, the highest RS content (38.90 %) and relative crystallinity (24.23 %) were observed in DMS6h-FA complexes. The FA unsaturation degree induced little effect on the RS content and long-range structural order of the complexes.

Effect of proanthocyanidins from different sources on the digestibility, physicochemical properties and structure of gelatinized maize starch.

The effect of proanthocyanidins (PAs) from Chinese bayberry leaves (BLPs), grape seeds (GSPs), peanut skins (PSPs) and pine barks (PBPs) on physicochemical properties, structure and in-vitro digestibility of gelatinized maize starch was investigated. The results showed that all PAs remarkably retarded starch digestibility, meanwhile, BLPs highlighted superiority in increasing resistant starch content from 31.29 ± 1.12 % to 68.61 ± 1.15 %. The iodine-binding affinity analysis confirmed the interaction between PAs and starch, especially the stronger binding of BLPs to amylose, which was driven by non-covalent bonds supported by XRD and FT-IR analysis. Further, we found that PAs altered the rheological properties, thermal properties and morphology structure of starch. In brief, PAs induced larger consistency, poorer flow ability, lower gelatinization temperatures and melting enthalpy change (ΔH) of starch paste. SEM and CLSM observation demonstrated that PAs facilitated starch aggregation. Our results indicated that PAs especially BLPs could be considered as potential additives to modify starch in food industry.

Preparation of fat substitute based on maize starch hydrolysates and application in reduced-fat acidified milk gel.

Reduced-fat food has become a popular choice among contemporary consumers. This study aims to develop a starch-based fat substitute and incorporate it into reduced-fat milk gel acidified with glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) to achieve similar rheological properties as a full-fat gel. The gel properties of the fat substitute were assessed. The study examined the rheological properties, syneresis, textural properties and microstructure of acidified milk gels while also monitoring acidification process. Starch hydrolysates with low dextrose equivalent (DE) (<5.1 %) can serve as an effective fat substitute due to their excellent gelling properties The rheological and textural properties of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel with DE at 3.1 % of starch hydrolysate and 30 % fat substitution are similar to those of the full-fat milk gel. The syneresis and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results indicated that the microstructure of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel was similar to the full-fat version. Moreover, the sensory properties of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel were acceptable when the DE was 3.1 %, and 30 % fat was replaced. In our study, we utilized hydrolyzed starch to produce reduced-fat acidified milk gels, which could potentially be used in the development of reduced-fat yogurt formulations.