Maize Starch Biphasic Pasting Curves

The pasting of commercial maize starches was found to be a biphasic phenomenon, exhibiting an expected first viscosity peak as well as an unexpected, relatively large second viscosity peak under specific cooking conditions when using a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). The second peak formed at long holding times (between 32 and 45 min), holding temperatures within the range of 82 to 95 °C, starch concentrations from 8 to 13% with a wide range of initial heating rates (0·5–10 °C/min) and shear conditions (150–500 rev/min). The second pasting peak is attributed to the formation of complexes between amylose and low levels of lipid present in maize starch. When lipid was partially removed by extraction with methanol-chloroform (1 : 3 v/v), the second pasting peak disappeared. When, however, the starch sample was treated with solvent and the solvent removed by evaporation, the second peak remained, but formed earlier. Increasing the holding temperature gave a slightly higher first viscosity peak, slightly earlier, and led to a decrease in the area and height of the second viscosity peak. Increasing heating rate also led to an earlier, slightly higher first peak and earlier but lower second viscosity peak. Increasing starch concentration led to an increase in height and area of both the first and second peaks and their later occurrence. Increasing shear led to a decrease in height and area of both the first and second peaks and their later appearance.     

Enhancement of the pasting properties of teff and maize starches through wet–heat processing with added stearic acid

This study determined the effects of stearic acid on the functional properties of teff starch, a compound granule starch in comparison to maize, a simple type granule starch. Stearic acid was incorporated into teff and maize starches and pasted (held for 5 or 120 min at 91 °C) with an RVA (Rapid Visco Analyser). Teff starch with added stearic acid (0.25 and 1.5% starch basis) did not produce a pasting peak viscosity within short holding time (5 min) compared to maize starch. The paste viscosity of both teff and maize starches with stearic acid increased by about three times with long pasting (120 min). This increase in paste viscosity occurred earlier for teff starch than maize starch. Teff starch with stearic acid was more viscous and was non-gelling. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that stearic acid did not diffuse in teff starch granules, but seemed to coat them. However, stearic acid diffused inside maize starch granules through channels. This microstructural difference may explain the different pasting behavior. The early high paste viscosity and non-gelling properties of the teff starch modified with stearic acid could have promising applications in foods, for example better mouthfeel with lower starch concentration.     

Hydrothermal modification of wheat starch. Part 2. Thermal characteristics of pasting and rheological properties of pastes

Water suspensions of starch (with the concentration of 8 g/100 g) were prepared in a measuring vessel of a Brabender viscograph and heated to temperatures of 74, 76.5, 79, 81.5, 84, 86.5, 89, 91.5 or 94 °C under continuous stirring. The resultant solution was cooled and frozen, and then defrosted. Thermal characteristics of re-pasting, rheological properties of produced pastes, starch solubility in water and swelling power were determined.The heating and freezing of the wheat starch suspension induced changes in its properties, with tendency and extent of these changes depending on temperature of pre-heating. The thermal characteristics of the analyzed starches revealed three peaks that corresponded to transitions proceeding during solubilization of retrograded amylopectin and retrograded amylose and solubilization of amylose–lipid complexes. Retrogradation of amylose induced by starch pre-heating followed by its freezing affected also the consistency coefficient and yield stress of the pastes formed by the analyzed starches. Values of these rheological parameters were higher at higher temperatures of pre-heating, compared to the pastes prepared from native starch, and were changing accordingly to the determined second order polynomial function. Amylose retrogradation occurring during the production of starch preparations diminished their solubility in water and increased their swelling power compared to native starch.     

Effect of jet-cooked wheat gluten/lecithin blends on maize and rice starch retrogradation

Vital wheat gluten and lecithin (GL) (50:50, w/w) were dry blended in a coffee grinder and a 9.5% (w/v) aqueous slurry was jet-cooked (steam pressures of 65 psi/g inlet and 40 psi/g outlet) to disaggregate wheat gluten and facilitate better dispersion of the two components. The jet-cooked material was freeze-dried and stored at 0 °C for future use. The GL blend was added to pure food grade common maize and rice starch at concentrations of 0 (control), 6, 11, 16, and 21%. Starch gelatinization and retrogradation temperature transitions were determined using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). From the DSC profiles, the change in the ΔH value was used as an indication of starch retrogradation, where a higher ΔH value indicated higher retrogradation. The ΔH values of the blends at 4 °C had higher values than the −20 °C and the ambient (25 °C) storage temperatures. Overall, the 21% GL/starch blends reduced retrogradation by 50%. The lower amylose content of rice starch relative to maize starch was reflected in Rapid Visco Amylograph (RVA) measurements of peak viscosity, and similarly, Texture Analyzer (TA) measurements indicated that maize starch gel is firmer than rice starch gel. Retrogradation was also evaluated by observing G′, the shear storage modulus, as a function of time after running a standard pasting curve. Using this method, it appears that GL has a significant effect on maize starch retrogradation, since low concentrations (<0.4%, w/w) reduced G′ up to 40%. The opposite behavior was seen in rice starch, where G′ increased directly with added GL. It appears that the amylose level in the rice starch is too low to be affected by the GL, and the increase seen in G′ is most likely due to added solids.     

Pasting characteristics and in vitro digestibility of γ-irradiated RS4 waxy maize starches

The effect of γ-irradiation on the physicochemical properties of cross-linked waxy maize resistant starches was examined. The cross-linked waxy maize starches contained resistant starch (RS) of 56.1 and 63.5%, respectively for 5 and 10% sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP)/sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) cross-linking, and the RS contents slightly decreased as the irradiation dose increased whereas the RS content in unmodified waxy maize starch increased with an increase in irradiation dose. For both native and cross-linked starches, the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content increased and the slowly digestible starch (SDS) content decreased by the irradiation. The solubility of the native and cross-linked starches increased as the irradiation dose increased. The cross-linked starches did not swell in boiling water without showing pasting viscosity. However, the starches became swellable, forming pastes by irradiation, and the pasting viscosity gradually increased with an increase in irradiation dose. The crystallinity as determined by an X-ray diffraction analysis remained unchanged upon cross-linking and γ-irradiation. However, the gelatinization enthalpy of the cross-linked starches decreased in proportion with irradiation dose. The melting temperatures of cross-linked starches gradually decreased and the temperature range for melting increased with an increase in irradiation dose.     

Investigation of the high-amylose maize starch gelatinization behaviours in glycerol-water systems

The effect of glycerol on gelatinization behaviours of high-amylose maize starch was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), texture analyzer (TPA) and rheometer. Gelatinization of the high-amylose maize starches with glycerol content of 10% (w/w) began at 95.4 °C (T_o), peaked at 110.3 °C (T_p), and completed at 118.9 °C (T_c). The birefringence began to disappear at around 100 °C and finished at 120 °C which corresponded well to the onset and conclusion temperatures obtained by DSC. The high-amylose maize starch granules maintained original morphological structure at 100 °C and swelled to a great degree at 110 °C. The high-amylose maize starch paste formed at 100 °C showed the lowest hardness (39.92 g), while at 120 and 130 °C, showed the highest hardness (610.89 g and 635.43 g, respectively). It should be noted that in going from 100 °C to 110 °C there is a significant increase in the viscosity of the slurry solution. The identical apparent viscosity was observed when the shear rate exceed 100 s⁻¹, resulting from the high-amylose maize starch granules were completely gelatinized at 120 °C, which was consistent with DSC analysis.     

Pasting Profiles and Solubility of Native and Cross-Linked Corn Starch inDimethylsulfoxide-Water Mixtures

The pasting profiles of native and cross-linked corn starch in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)–water mixtures were investigated with a Rapid Visco Analyser. The temperature profile included an isothermal step of 1 min at 30 °C, followed by a linear gradient to 75 °C in 3 min and finally an isothermal step of 20 min at 75 °C. The profiles were characterised by an initial peak (at 75 °C) followed by a trough, much as is the case with profiles of such starch in water. Increasing the DMSO concentration in the DMSO–water mixture from 70–97·5% (by weight), without changing the starch concentration, resulted in lower end-viscosities. The RVA pasting profiles of a series of sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) cross-linked corn starches were investigated in 92·5% DMSO at different dry matter (d.m.) contents. At high starch concentrations (>60% d.m.), the end viscosity increased with the degree of cross-linking. At lower starch concentrations (<6% d.m.), the more highly cross-linked starches yielded lower peak- and end-viscosities than starches with lower degrees of cross-linking. The solubilisation of the starches in 92·5% DMSO was complete for the native starch and decreased considerably for the highly cross-linked starches. Light microscopy showed that the cross-linked starches, upon heating in DMSO–water, were converted to a biphasic system consisting of insoluble granule remnants and a starch solution.     

Thermal dissolution of maize starches in aqueous medium

Starches are insoluble in neutral water at room temperature. However, if they are heated beyond the boiling point of water in a closed container, they eventually dissolve. The dissolution profile depends on the type of starch. The dissolution processes of maize starches were monitored in real time by measuring the transmittance of starch dispersion/solution while it was heated. It was found that the dissolution of starches in water results from the degradation of the two components of starches, amylopectin and amylose. Starches from both normal maize and waxy maize were fully dissolved in water when their aqueous solution was heated to approximately 174 °C. Upon cooling to room temperature, amylopectin remained in a solubilized state while amylose molecules were retrograded. For starch solutions that have been heated to higher than 191 °C, the color turned brown and the retrogradation of amylose was not observed.     

施氮量对糯小麦和非糯小麦籽粒淀粉组分与理化特性的影响

为探明氮肥对小麦籽粒淀粉组分和理化特性的影响,采用田间试验,分析了4个施氮量(0、100、200、300kg·hm~(-2))对糯小麦(农大糯50222)和非糯小麦(轮选987)籽粒淀粉组分与理化特性的影响。结果表明,随施氮量的增加,小麦籽粒淀粉含量降低,轮选987籽粒中B型淀粉粒的数目占比增加,而农大糯50222籽粒的B型淀粉粒数目占比呈减少趋势;增施氮肥能显著提高小麦籽粒淀粉的峰值黏度和谷值黏度。相同施氮量处理下,轮选987淀粉的被测糊化特征参数(除谷值黏度外)均大于农大糯50222。施氮量不同,2个品种籽粒淀粉X-衍射图谱中各峰的位置和相对强度明显不同。随施氮量的增加,轮选987淀粉的相对结晶度增大,而农大糯50222淀粉的相对结晶度减小。相关分析表明,小麦籽粒的直链淀粉含量和直支比与最终黏度、稀澥值、反弹值、糊化温度和峰值时间呈显著正相关,与谷值黏度和相对结晶度呈显著负相关;支链淀粉含量反之。小麦籽粒的B型淀粉粒数目占比与峰值黏度、稀澥值呈显著负相关。综上所述,施氮量可影响小麦籽粒的淀粉含量和粒度分布,进而改变其糊化特性和晶体特征。     

Physical properties of cryomilled rice starch

Cryomilling of rice starch was evaluated as a non-chemical way to modify starch structure and properties. Cryomilling in a liquid nitrogen bath (63–77.2 K) was done to Quest (10.80% amylose) and Pelde (20.75% amylose) rice starch at five different time frames (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min). The viscosity of the cryomilled rice starch decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing milling duration, including peak viscosity, hot-paste viscosity, cold-paste viscosity, breakdown, and consistency. Increasing milling time significantly increased (p < 0.05) water solubility index and water absorption index. Infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction crystallography both showed that the crystallinity of the cryomilled starch decreased with increasing milling time. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses showed that after 60 min cryomilling there was partial loss of crystallinity (86% for Quest and 91% for Pelde) of both cryomilled starches. The cryomilling process modified the rice starch by causing a loss of crystallinity, that reduced its pasting temperature and increased water absorption, and by fragmentation of starch (probably the amylopectin fraction) that reduced the viscosity and increased solubility.     

Effect of repeated heating and cooling cycles on the pasting properties of starch

The properties of starch and starch–lipid pastes have been explored using a novel extended Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) profile, in which the heating and cooling cycles are repeated five times. Starches from four wheat varieties with amylose content ranging from 23 to 27%, and waxy starches of wheat, rice and maize were tested, alone and in mixtures with lauric acid and monopalmitin (glyceryl-1-monopalmitin). Gels of all of the starches formed and melted reproducibly during repeated heating and cooling in the RVA. The addition of lauric acid to the waxy starches had no effect on the multiple RVA profile. Monopalmitin caused an increase in viscosity during the heating stage of the second to the fifth cycles with the waxy starches, which was attributed to the presence of monopalmitin aggregates. Changes in the multiple cycle viscosity traces observed when monopalmitin or lauric acid was added to the amylose-containing starches were complex. It was concluded that RVA paste viscosities were determined by starch–lipid interactions, as well as by free lipid in the starch mixtures. The water solubility of the lipid and association of proteins with starch granules influence these interactions.     

Pasting,thermal and rheological properties of octenylsuccinylate modified starches from diverse small granule starches differing in amylose content

Waxy maize (a standard starch of normal granule size) and five small granule starches from different botanical sources (rice, wheat B type, oat, quinoa and amaranth) were subjected to 2-octenyl-1-succinic anhydride (OSA) modification. Changes of pasting, gel texture, thermal and rheological properties were investigated. Different small granule starches showed quite different property changes after OSA modification. Pasting viscosity was generally increased in OSA starches, among which OSA oat starch had notably high peak and breakdown viscosity but low setback viscosity. Gel hardness of rice, wheat B type, oat and quinoa starches was reduced by OSA treatment, whereas that of waxy maize and amaranth starches was increased. Amylose content was considered to be the major factor influencing pasting, gel and thermal property of OSA starches. Esterification increased pseudoplastic flow behavior of all starches, while OSA oat starch uniquely had reduced flow consistency coefficient. The dynamic rheological properties were also changed differentially among OSA starches. Viscoelastic properties of rice, wheat B type, oat and quinoa starches were increased after OSA treatment, whereas those of waxy maize and amaranth starches were decreased. This study showed that diverse functionalities from OSA small granule starches may fulfil different demands in product development.     

Effects of gamma irradiation on starch granule structure and physicochemical properties of brown rice starch

In the present research effects of gamma irradiation (5–20 kGy) on the physicochemical, antioxidant and thermal properties of brown rice starch were studied. Scanning electron microscopy displayed mostly polyhedral shapes with no surface fractures. XRD displayed characteristic A type pattern and decrease in per cent crystallinity (22.53–20.41%) was observed as the dose increased from 5 to 20 kGy. DPPH % inhibition and FRAP values were increased in a dose dependent manner. Pasting properties (peak, final and setback viscosity) decreased with irradiation. Pasting temperature also significantly decreased with irradiation for all the irradiated starches. The transition temperatures, enthalpy of gelatinization, pH and apparent amylose content of starch decreased significantly with increase in irradiation dose.     

Morphological and structural studies of thermally treated starch-fatty acid systems

A series of starch-fatty acid samples were prepared using three types of starches differing in their amylose content i.e. maize, pea and amylomaize and three fatty acids differing in their chain length; i.e. myristic, palmitic and stearic. Two different modes of heating the starch systems were employed; i.e. either prior to the addition of the acid to starch aqueous dispersions or after heating the dispersions at the predetermined temperatures 75, 85 or 98 °C. Light and SEM microscopic examination indicated that amylose-fatty acid interactions taken place during starch gelatinization retarded the destruction of the granules depending on the heating temperature. XRD studies revealed that the degree of crystallinity exhibited by the starch samples was dependent on the amylose content, the fatty acid chain length and the modes of heating employed.     

Physicochemical properties and amylopectin fine structures of A- and B-type granules of waxy and normal soft wheat starch

This work fractionated waxy and normal wheat starches into highly purified A- and B-type granule fractions, which were representative of native granule populations within parent native wheat starches, to accurately assess starch characteristics and properties of the two granule types. Wheat starch A- and B-type granules possessed different morphologies, granule specific surface area measurements, compositions, relative crystallinities, amylopectin branch chain distributions, and physical properties (swelling, gelatinization, and pasting behaviors). Within a genotype, total and apparent amylose contents were greater for A-type granules, while lipid-complexed amylose and phospholipid contents were greater for B-type granules. B-type (relative to A-type) granules within a given genotype possessed a greater abundance of short amylopectin branch chains (DP_n < 13) and a lesser proportion of intermediate (DP_n 13–33) and long (DP_n > 33) branch chains, contributing to their lower relative crystallinities. Variation in amylose and phospholipid characteristics appeared to account for observed differences in swelling, gelatinization, and pasting properties between waxy and normal wheat starch fractions of a common granule type. However, starch granule swelling and gelatinization property differences between A- and B-type granules within a given genotype were most consistently explained by their differential amylopectin chain-length distributions.     

小麦淀粉与面条质量关系的研究进展

小麦淀粉品质对白盐面条的质量（尤其是煮后的感官特性）有重要影响。直链与支链淀粉的含量及比例是影响面条质量的重要因素,是造成不同小麦品种淀粉糊化和膨胀特性及面条质量差异的物质基础。较低直链淀粉含量的小麦粉具有较好的糊化和膨胀特性,制作的面条煮制时吸水率高,烹调损失低,具有较高的感官评分。优质白盐面条的直链淀粉含量应在22%左右。峰值黏度、稀懈值、峰值时间是影响面条质量的重要糊化参数,这3项参数高的小麦粉适合制作优质面条。高膨胀势或膨胀体积的小麦粉制作的面条中等偏软,光滑且富有弹性,可以作为面条用小麦的重要选择标准。一般认为,直链淀粉含量较低、峰值黏度和稀懈值高、峰值时间长、膨胀势或膨胀体积高的小麦粉适合制作优质白盐面条。其中,直链淀粉含量、峰值黏度和膨胀势是优质面条小麦评价的关键品质性状。     

Glass transition temperature of starches with different amylose/amylopectin ratios

The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of starch with different amylose/amylopectin ratios were systematically studied by a high-speed DSC. The cornstarches with different amylose contents (waxy 0; maize 23, G50 50 and G80 80) were used as model materials. The high heating speed (up to 300 °C/min) allows the weak T_g of starch to be visible and the true T_g was calculated by applying linear regression to the results from different heating rates. It is confirmed for the first time, that the higher the amylose content is, the higher the T_g is for the same kind of starch. The sequence of true T_g of cornstarch is G80 > G50 > maize > waxy when samples contain the same moisture content, which corresponds to their amylose/amylopectin ratio. It was found that T_g was increased from about 52 to 60 °C with increasing amylose content from 0 to 80 for the samples containing about 13% moisture. The microstructure and phase transition were used to explain this phenomenon, in particular the multiphase transitions that occur in high-amylose starches at higher temperatures, and the gel-ball structure of gelatinized amylopectin.     

Fragmentation of Oat and Barley Starch Granules During Heating

The structural differences between oat and barley starches were investigated by analysing starch polymers released from the granules and the granule residues during heating. When the temperature was increased from 85 to 97 °C the amount of leached carbohydrates increased from 6·1–8·7% to 36·1–37·4%. Concurrently, the lysophospholipid content of the granule residues decreased from 0·87–1·0% to 0·35–0·46%, indicating that lysophospholipids were also present in the solubilised fraction. Oat and barley starch dispersions preheated to 95 °C were further fractionated by sequential centrifugation. After the first centrifugation of both starches, 68–70% of the carbohydrate in the supernatant was amylose. After recentrifugation, an insoluble fraction with a high amylose to lipid ratio was obtained. Oat and barley starches showed similar fractionation behaviour, but the molecular weight of the solubilised oat starch was somewhat higher.     

Effect of instantaneous controlled pressure drop (DIC) on physicochemical properties of wheat, waxy and standard maize starches

Standard maize starch (SMS), waxy maize starch (WMS) and wheat starch (WTS) were hydrothermally treated by the Instantaneous Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC) process. This process consists in a short pressurisation obtained by the injection of saturated steam at fixed pressure during a predetermined time followed by a sudden pressure drop towards vacuum. The effects of DIC conditions on thermal characteristics, enzyme susceptibility, pasting (Brabender) and rheological properties of treated starches were investigated. For treated starches, an increase of transition temperatures (T_o and T_p), a narrowing of the width of gelatinization endotherms and a decrease of the gelatinization enthalpies (ΔH) were observed as the severity of processing conditions increased. WMS, SMS and WTS showed a significant increase in enzymatic hydrolysis after treatment. The saccharification yield showed an increase from 19% (native) to 44%, 21% (native) to 59% and 55% (native) to 79% for SMS, WMS and WTS, respectively. The study suggests that the structural modifications due to the previous DIC treatment influence the in-vitro hydrolysis and the access to the ultrastructure of starch granules; the susceptibility to hydrolysis increases from SMS to WMS and WTS. For all treated starches, the decrease in peak viscosity and in apparent viscosity was related to the processing conditions.     

Amylolysis of wheat starches. I. Digestion kinetics of starches with varying functional properties

The susceptibility of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) starches to hydrolysis by pancreatic α-amylase in vitro was investigated using a series of 35 starches with slightly enriched amylose content within a narrow range (36–43%), but widely differing functional properties. After 2 h of incubation with α-amylase, native starch granules were digested to different extents, but there were no differences between any of the starches once they were gelatinized. Cooling the starch for 72 h at 4 °C after cooking reduced the susceptibility of all of the starches to enzymic digestion by a similar extent, whereas addition of monopalmitin decreased the digestibility of the starches that contained amylose, but did not affect the digestibility of waxy starches that were also included in the study. Amylopectin chain length distribution of partly digested starch granules displayed increased proportion of short and medium chains and decreased proportion of long chains in comparison to native granules. Separated large (A) and small (B) starch granules from three of the starches differed significantly in their susceptibility to in-vitro digestion. A predictive model of the susceptibility of starch in the different forms was developed from the physico-chemical and functional properties of the starches.