Correlation Between NIR Spectra and RVA Parameters During Germination of Maize

The physical, chemical, and morphological changes of maize seeds during germination were investigated using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and a method based on the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). Near‐infrared spectra provide information about both chemical and physical changes that occur in maize seed. The RVA curves make it possible to follow the process of germination. Four RVA parameters (peak viscosity, final viscosity, trough, and setback) were linearly correlated with germination time (R = 0.64–0.96), while the first derivatives of RVA curves contain specific information about starch structure. Water‐soluble protein (WSP) content of germinated maize seeds was measured using a flow injection analyser; this technique proved to be suitable for monitoring germination by following the mobilization of proteins. WSP and RVA parameters were highly correlated (R² = 0.82–0.95) with predicted values calculated from NIR spectra of dry samples. Strong intercorrelations existed between NIR spectra and viscosity data from the beginning of the swelling and gelatinization process. The NIR and RVA methods and WSP measurements are sensitive tools for investigating the physiological status of maize seeds during germination. Detecting early phase of germination and predicting functional properties rapidly and nondestructively may enhance the importance of NIR spectroscopic methods in agricultural quality control.     

Relationship Between NIR Spectra and RVA Parameters During Wheat Germination

The process of germination in six different wheat cultivars was monitored using NIR spectroscopy and the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) method. Near‐infrared spectra provided insight into both chemical and physical changes that occur in the seed, in particular mobilization processes involving carbohydrates. RVA curves also contain physical and chemical information and can be interpreted as physicochemical spectra. The process of germination was followed sensitively through the RVA curves and some rheological parameters (peak viscosity, trough, breakdown, final viscosity, and setback) were highly correlated (R = 0.95–0.98) with predicted values calculated from NIR spectra. Viscosity data calculated from RVA curves collected at 200–480 sec showed the most characteristic changes during the early heat treatment stage of the pasting procedure. Strong intercorrelations were found between viscosity data and NIR spectra from the beginning of the swelling and gelatinization processes in germinating seed. The NIR and RVA methods were sensitive tools for the rapid investigation of the germination process, which is important both from a physiological and technological point of view.     

Starch Pasting Properties and Amylose Content from 17 Waxy Barley Lines

Starch pasting properties and amylose content from 17 waxy barley lines (waxy gene originating from indigenous lines and an artificial mutant) were analyzed using rapid viscosity analysis (Rapid Visco Analyser [RVA]). Amylose contents varied from 0% (Shikoku‐hadaka 97) to 9.5% (Shikoku‐hadaka 96) compared with 30% for normal barley. Eight parameters were obtained from RVA profiles of these lines and correlation between each of these parameters and amylose content were evaluated. These parameters include pasting temperature (PT), peak viscosity (PV), temperature at PV, minimum viscosity (MV), final viscosity (FV), breakdown (BD), setback (SB), and time maintained at >80% PV (hot paste stability [HPS]). Significant correlations (0.64 and 0.61) were found between amylose content and FV and SB, respectively. High correlation (0.72) was found between amylose content and temperature at PV. HPS calculated from RVA profiles showed the highest correlation (0.79) to amylose content. Outer part of barley grains contained higher amounts of amylose than the inner part. There was a tendency that both PT and FV positively correlated to the amylose content of these parts.     

Use of Mixolab in Predicting Rice Quality

Mixolab is a new instrument with capability to measure starch pasting properties on actual dough. It characterizes dough rheological behavior using a dual constraints of mixing and temperature. Rice samples (183) collected from 15 provinces across China were tested to determine the possibility of using Mixolab in predicting rice quality. Mixolab measurements, torque (Nm) at different mixing and heating stages (C1 to C5) were compared with rice quality characteristics (gelatinization temperature and consistency, amylose and protein contents), Rapid Visco‐Analyser (RVA) parameters and sensory assessments scores of cooked rice. Our results showed that Mixolab parameters were good indicators of amylose and protein content and quality suggested by significant correlations among Mixolab parameters, and between Mixolab and RVA measurements. Based on a subsample of 30 rice cultivars, correlation coefficients between the Mixolab parameter C4 and sensory assessment characteristics of palatability and total sensory score was negatively significant (P < 0.05). C_b (C3 – C4) was also significantly correlated with flavor (P < 0.05). The rice samples that gave high palatability and total sensory scores had low C4 values and low amylose contents. The cooked rice with high flavor had high values of C_b and GT but low protein content. It is possible to determine physicochemical properties of rice flour and sensory characteristics of cooked rice using Mixolab parameters.     

Octenyl succinic anhydride modified early indica rice starches differing in amylose content

Seven early indica rice starches with different amylose contents were modified by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) in aqueous suspension systems to evaluate the effect of amylose contents on starch esterification. The crystalline structure and pasting properties of starches were investigated using X-ray diffraction and a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA). The results indicated that the amylose content had a positive impact on the OSA modification. As the amylose content increased from 0 to 39.6%, the degree of substitution increased from 0.024 to 0.030 and the reaction efficiency increased from 62.8 to 77.5%. X-ray diffraction scans confirmed that the amylose was mainly present in the amorphous domain of the granule and was highly substituted after the OSA treatment. The RVA profiles demonstrated that the OSA starches had higher viscosities than their native counterparts. Moreover, negative correlations were observed between the amylose content and the major RVA parameters (e.g., peak viscosity, hot paste viscosity, cool paste viscosity, and breakdown viscosity).     

Physicochemical Properties and In Vitro Starch Digestibility of Cooked Rice from Commercially Available Cultivars in Canada

The influence of amylose content, cooking, and storage on starch structure, thermal behaviors, pasting properties, and rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and resistant starch (RS) in different commercial rice cultivars was investigated. Long grain rice with high‐amylose content had a higher gelatinization temperature and a lower gelatinization enthalpy than the other rice cultivars with intermediate amylose content (Arborio and Calrose) and waxy type (glutinous). The intensity ratio of 1047/1022 cm^–1 determined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‐IR), which indicated the ordered structure in starch granules, was the highest in glutinous and the lowest in long grain. Results from Rapid ViscoAnalyser (RVA) showed that the rice cultivar with higher amylose content had lower peak viscosity and breakdown, but higher pasting temperature, setback, and final viscosity. The RDS content was 28.1, 38.6, 41.5, and 57.5% in long grain, Arborio, Calrose, and glutinous rice, respectively, which was inversely related to amylose content. However, the SDS and RS contents were positively correlated with amylose content. During storage of cooked rice, long grain showed a continuous increase in pasting viscosity, while glutinous exhibited the sharp cold‐water swelling peak. The retrogradation rate was greater in rice cultivars with high amylose content. The ratio of 1047/1022 cm^–1 was substantially decreased by cooking and then increased during storage of cooked rice due to the crystalline structure, newly formed by retrogradation. Storage of cooked rice decreased RDS content and increased SDS content in all rice cultivars. However, no increase in RS content during storage was observed. The enthalpy for retrogradation and the intensity ratio 1047/1022 cm^–1 during storage were correlated negatively with RDS and positively with SDS (P ≤ 0.01).     

Impact of Proteins on Pasting and Cooking Properties of Nonparboiled and Parboiled Rice

The role of proteins in the pasting and cooking properties of non‐parboiled (npb) and parboiled (pb) rice was tested by means of a reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) and a protease (trypsin). DTT increased the swelling power and carbohydrate leaching of flour from npb rice flour but decreased its amylose leaching. Although DTT slightly increased the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) viscosity at the initial stages of the pasting process, it decreased RVA viscosity in the further phases of the experiment. Preincubation of flour with a trypsin decreased RVA viscosity along the whole temperature profile. Addition of DTT to the cooking water decreased water absorption and rice hardness and increased leaching of solids during cooking and stickiness of the cooked npb rice. Addition of DTT to the cooking water of flour from pb rice increased swelling power, carbohydrate leaching, and amylose leaching. Addition of DTT also increased RVA viscosity. Preincubation with trypsin had a similar effect but the changes were less pronounced. Addition of DTT increased stickiness of cooked pb rice and increased water absorption and leaching of solids during cooking. Taken together, the results provide evidence for the existence of a protein barrier affecting starch swelling, rheological, and cooking properties of both npb and pb rice.     

Structural Characteristics,Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of Rice

Using rice samples derived from normal rice cultivars and endosperm starch mutant, we investigated key factors contributing to the enzyme digestibility of steamed rice grains. The chemical composition of polished rice grains, structural features of endosperm starch, and enzyme digestibility of steamed rice grains were examined. The protein content of polished rice grains was 4.6–9.1%, amylose content was 4–27%, the DP_n of purified amylose was 900–1,600, the amylopectin short/long chain ratio was 1.2–5.9, and the enzyme digestibilities of steamed polished rice grains were 0.9–12.6 °Brix. Amylose content and RVA parameters (viscosity, breakdown, and setback) correlated significantly with enzyme digestibility of steamed rice grains. Multiple regression formulas were constructed to predict digestibility of steamed rice grain as a function of the molecular characteristics of the starch. When both amylose content and the short/long chain amylopectin ratio were used as predictor variables, they accounted for >80% of the observed variance in digestibility of steamed rice grains. Multiple regression revealed that the more digestible rice samples had starch with a lower amylose content and more short‐chain amylopectin. Reassociation of amylose‐lipid complex and recrystallization of amylopectin in the stored steamed rice grains was monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the observed retrogradation properties were related to the structural characteristics of starch and to the enzyme digestibility of steamed rice grains.     

Rice Quality by Spectroscopic Analysis: Precision of Three Spectral Regions

Three types of spectroscopy were used to examine rice quality: near infrared (NIR), Raman, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR). Samples from 96 rice cultivars were tested. Protein, amylose, transparency, alkali spreading values, whiteness, and degree of milling were measured by standard techniques and the values were regressed against NIR and Raman spectra data. The NMR spectra were used for a qualitative or semiquantitative assessment of the amylose/amylopectin ratio by determining the 1–4 to 1–6 ratio for glucans. Protein can be measured by almost any instrument in any configuration because of the strong relationship between the spectral response and the precision of the reference method. Amylose has an equally strong relationship to the vibrational spectra, but its determination by any reference method is far less precise, resulting in a 10× increase in the standard error of cross‐validation (SECv) or standard error of performance (SEP) with R ² values equal to that of the protein measurement.     

Pasting Process in Rice Flour Using Rapid Visco Analyser Curves and First Derivatives

The objective of these studies was to gain a better understanding of the pasting process in rice. We chose six different medium grain rice flour samples with amylose contents of 0.41–24.9% and protein contents of 4.89–10.65%. By using the first derivative of Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) curves, changes in the pasting rates could be obtained. We found that samples containing low amylose contents (CM101 [CA] 0.41% amylose and 7.04% protein) exhibited a single smooth transition during pasting. Pastes from all other samples, M201 (TX), Nato (LA), Koshihikari (CA), Mercury (LA), and Nanking Sel (LA) with higher amylose contents (10.65–24.9%) underwent multiple phase transitions and rate changes before the peak viscosity. Disruption of disulfide linkages using dithiothreitol (DTT) led to a decrease in the rate of the single pasting step observed for CM101 (CA). Rice containing larger concentrations of amylose showed an increase in the first, but a decrease in subsequent steps. Our data suggests that amylopectin and protein are mutually important in the initialization of pasting in rice. At later stages of pasting, amylose and its complexes seem to become important.     

乳熟阶段短期高温对不同品种早籼稻直链淀粉含量和RVA谱特征参数的影响

以2个杂交稻（淦鑫203和金优402）和4个常规稻（中531、B670、E134和ST66）为材料,于水稻乳熟期进行高温处理3d,处理温度分别为35℃和38℃,以同期田间自然温度为对照,研究乳熟期高温对不同品种早籼稻直链淀粉含量和RVA谱特征参数的影响,并对稻米淀粉RVA谱特征值与直链淀粉含量进行相关分析.结果表明,无论是对照还是高温处理,中531和B670的直链淀粉含量、消减值及回复值较低,但崩解值较高,而E134和ST66表现为直链淀粉含量、消减值及回复值较高,崩解值较低;杂交稻淦鑫203和金优402则介于两者中间.与对照相比,38℃高温显著降低淦鑫203、金优402、中531和E134的崩解值,显著提高淦鑫203、中531的消减值、显著降低金优402、中531、B670和E134的回复值.各处理淀粉RVA谱变化趋势较一致,但因品种及温度而略有差异.38℃高温处理下稻米淀粉黏滞性曲线始终低于对照,但常规稻中531和B670的RVA谱形态与对照差异不大.此外,稻米直链淀粉含量与RVA谱各特征值间存在显著相关性.     

Protein and Apparent Amylose Contents of Milled Rice by NIR‐FT/Raman Spectroscopy

The chemometric calibration of near‐infrared Fourier‐transform Raman (NIR‐FT/Raman) spectroscopy was investigated for the purpose of providing a rigorous spectroscopic technique to analyze rice flour for protein and apparent amylose content. Ninety rice samples from a 1996 collection of short, medium, and long grain rice grown in four states of the United States, as well as Taiwan, Korea, and Australia were investigated. Milled rice flour samples were scanned in rotating cups with a 1,064 nm (NIR) excitation laser using 500 mW of power. Raman scatter was collected using a liquid N₂ cooled Ge detector over the Raman shift range of 175–3,600 cm^‐1. The spectral data was preprocessed using baseline correction with and without derivatives or with derivatives alone and normalization. Nearly equivalent results were obtained using all of the preprocessing methods with partial least squares (PLS) models. However, models using baseline correction and normalization of the entire spectrum, without derivatives, showed slightly better performance based on the criteria of highest r² and the lowest SEP with low bias. Calibration samples (n = 57) and validation samples (n = 33) were chosen to have similar respective distributions for protein and apparent amylose. The best model for protein was obtained using six factors giving r² = 0.992, SEP = 0.138%, and bias = ‐0.009%. The best model for apparent amylose was obtained using eight factors giving r² = 0.985, SEP = 1.05%, and bias = ‐0.006%.     

Sources of Variation for Starch Gelatinization,Pasting, and Gelation Properties in Wheat

The starch of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour affects food product quality due to the temperature-dependent interactions of starch with water during gelatinization, pasting, and gelation. The objective of this study was to determine the fundamental basis of variation in gelatinization, pasting, and gelation of prime starch derived from seven different wheat cultivars: Kanto 107, which is a partial waxy mutant line, and six near-isogenic lines (NILs) differing in hardness. Complete pasting curves with extended 16-min hold at 93°C were obtained using the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). Apparent amylose content ranged from 17.5 to 23.5%; total amylose content ranged from 22.8 to 28.2%. Starches exhibited significant variation in onset of gelatinization. However, none of the parameters measured consistently correlated with onset or other RVA curve parameters that preceded peak paste viscosity. Peak paste viscosity varied from 190 to 323 RVA units (RVU). Higher peak, greater breakdown, lower final viscosity, negative setback, and less total setback were associated with lower apparent and total amylose contents. Each 1% reduction in apparent or total amylose content corresponded to an increase in peak viscosity of about 22 and 25 RVU, respectively, at 12% starch concentration. Of the seven U.S. cultivars, the lower amylose cultivars Penawawa and Klasic were missing the granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS; ADPglucose starch glycosyl transferase, EC 2.4.4.21) protein associated with the Waxy gene locus on chromosome 4A (Wx-B1 locus). Kanto 107 was confirmed as missing both the 7A and 4A waxy proteins (Wx-A1 and Wx-B1 loci). The hardness NIL also were shown to be null at the 4A locus. Apparent and total amylose contents of prime starch generally corresponded well to the number of GBSS proteins; although the hardness NIL tended to have somewhat higher amylose contents than did the other GBSS 4A nulls. We concluded that reduced quantity of starch amylose due to decreased GBSS profoundly affects starch gelatinization, pasting, and gelation properties.     

Development of a Near‐Infrared Imaging System for Determination of Rice Moisture

The objective of this study was to develop a near‐infrared (NIR) imaging system to determine rice moisture content. The NIR imaging system fitted with 15 band‐pass filters (wavelengths of 870–1,014 nm) was used to capture the spectral image. In this work, calibration methods including multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least squares regression (PLSR), and artificial neural network (ANN) were used in both near‐infrared spectrometry (NIRS) and the NIR imaging system to determine the moisture content of rice. Comprehensive performance comparison among MLR, PLSR, and ANN approaches has been conducted. To reduce repetition and redundancy in the input data and obtain a more accurate network, six significant wavelengths selected by the MLR model, which had high correlation with the moisture content of rice, were used as the input data of the ANN. The performance of the developed system was evaluated through experimental tests for rice moisture content. This study adopted the coefficient of determination (r_val²), the standard error of prediction (SEP), and the relative performance determinant (RPD) as the performance indices of the NIR imaging system with respect to the tests of rice moisture content. Utilizing these three models, the analysis results of r_val², SEP, and RPD for the validation set were within 0.942–0.952, 0.435–0.479%, and 4.2–4.6, respectively. From experimental results, the performance of NIR imaging system was almost the same as that of NIRS. Using the developed NIR imaging system, all of the three different calibration methods (MLR, PLSR, and ANN) provided a high prediction capacity for the determination of moisture in rice samples. These results indicated that the NIR imaging system developed in this study can be used as a device for the measurement of rice moisture content.     

Physicochemical and Pharmaceutical Properties of Carboxymethyl Rice Starches Modified from Native Starches with Different Amylose Content

Carboxymethyl rice starches (CMRS) were prepared from nine strains of native rice starches with amylose contents of 14.7–29.1%. The reaction was conducted at 50°C for 120 min using monochloroacetic acid as a reagent under alkaline conditions and 1-propanol as a solvent. After determining the degree of substitution (DS), the physicochemical properties including water solubility, pH, and viscosity of 1% (w/v) solution, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the granules, as well as some pharmaceutical properties of CMRS powders and pastes were investigated. The DS range was 0.25–0.40. All CMRS dissolved in unheated water and formed viscous gel. A good positive correlation was observed between amylose content and DS (r = 0.9278) but not viscosity. SEM and XRD concurrently revealed significant physical alteration of CMRS granules compared with those of native starches, which reflected the changes in the properties of CMRS. At 3% (w/w), CMRS can function as tablet binder in the wet granulation of both water-soluble and water-insoluble diluents. The tablets compressed from these granules showed good hardness with fewer capping problems compared with those prepared using the pregelatinized native rice starch as a binder. In addition, most CMRS pastes formed clear films with varying film characteristics, depending upon the amylose content of the native starches. This type of modified rice starch can potentially be employed as a tablet binder and film-former for pharmaceutical dosage formulations.     

Genotype and Environmental Influences on Pasting Properties of Rice Flour

The pasting behavior of flour from several Australian rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, differing in amylose content and grown in three different locations and three seasons, were determined using the Rapid Visco Analyser. Genotype, growth season, and growth location all affected the pasting behavior of rice flour. The amylose content of the same cultivar was significantly higher in the coolest growing season, resulting in RVA traces with lower peak viscosity and higher setback than samples with lower amylose content. When the same cultivar of rice was grown in different locations in the same season, there were no significant differences in the total starch, protein, lipid, and amylose content of the flour, but there were significant differences in the pasting behavior. This indicates that environmental as well as genetic factors influence the pasting behavior of rice flour. Flour from parboiled and quick‐cooking rice did not paste and had low viscosities compared with unprocessed rice. Results from this study showed that the pasting behavior of rice flour was related to genotype and was influenced by environmental factors that brought about subtle changes in the grains that were not picked up by chemical analyses.