Comparison of the gelatinization behavior of organic and conventional spelt starches assessed by thermal and rheological analyses

The objective of this study was to compare gelatinization properties and molecular composition of starches extracted from locally grown organic and conventional spelt using thermal, rheological, and SEC analyses, along with Concanavalin A method. Organic and conventional spelt was planted in six replicated plots, and the extracted starch was analyzed for their gelatinization properties. DSC showed that the gelatinization temperature ranged from 56.7 to 68.8 °C with an average peak of 62.4 °C, with no evidence for statistical difference in gelatinization properties between treatments. Rheological behavior variation among samples was more pronounced than that between the two growing conditions. The amylose content ranged from 23.0% to 29.8%. There was no significant difference in the molecular weight of amylose and amylopectin irrespective of the plot locations, although a significant difference was found between the amylopectin molecular weight of organic and conventional spelt starches when analyzed collectively. The organic spelt starch studied may substitute the conventional starch when gelatinization behavior is considered.     

甘薯淀粉性质与其粉丝品质的关系

为了弄清不同品种甘薯淀粉所制粉丝品质差异的原因,该研究通过对各种甘薯淀粉的理化性质、热力学特性、分子结构与甘薯粉丝品质的测定,并以绿豆淀粉做对照,对三者与其粉丝品质进行了相关性分析。结果表明：淀粉理化性质对粉丝品质影响较大,按相关系数大小依次是：膨润力＞溶解度＞表观直链淀粉含量＞蛋白质含量＞颗粒大小。回生对粉丝品质的影响远远大于糊化对其的影响。快速黏度分析参数与粉丝品质有显著的相关性,可作为预测其相应的粉丝品质的重要手段之一。淀粉分子结构对粉丝品质影响更大,按显著程度依次是：直链淀粉（A _m ）含量＞支链淀粉（A _P ）短链量＞A_P长链量＞A_m分支数＞A_P短链长度＞A_m链长＞A_P长链长度。     

Structure and functional properties of sorghum starches differing in amylose content

Starches were isolated from grains of waxy, heterowaxy, and normal sorghum. To study the relationship between starch structure and functionality and guide applications of these starches, amylose content, amylopectin chain-length distributions, gelatinization and retrogradation, pasting properties, dynamic rheological properties, and in vitro enzyme digestion of raw starches were analyzed. Heterowaxy sorghum starch had intermediate amylose content, pasting properties, and dynamic rheological properties. Stress relaxation was a useful indicator of cooked starch cohesiveness. Cooked heterowaxy sorghum starch (10% solids) had a viscoelastic-solid type of character, whereas cooked waxy sorghum starch behaved like a viscoelastic liquid. Amylopectin of normal sorghum starch had a slightly higher proportion of chains with degree of polymerization (DP) of 6-15 (45.5%) compared with amylopectin of heterowaxy starch (44.1%), which had a gelatinization peak temperature 2 degrees C higher than normal sorghum starch. Heterowaxy sorghum starch contained significantly lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and higher resistant starch (RS) than waxy sorghum starch.     

Effects of Amylopectin Branch Chain Length and Amylose Content on the Gelatinization and Pasting Properties of Starch

Structures and properties of starches isolated from different botanical sources were investigated. Apparent and absolute amylose contents of starches were determined by measuring the iodine affinity of defatted whole starch and of fractionated and purified amylopectin. Branch chain-length distributions of amylopectins were analyzed quantitatively using a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography system equipped with a postcolumn enzyme reactor and a pulsed amperometric detector. Thermal and pasting properties were measured using differential scanning calorimetry and a rapid viscoanalyzer, respectively. Absolute amylose contents of most of the starches studied were lower than their apparent amylose contents. This difference correlated with the number of very long branch chains of amylopectin. Studies of amylopectin structures showed that each starch had a distinct branch chain-length distribution profile. Average degrees of polymerization (dp) of amylopectin branch chain length ranged from 18.8 for waxy rice to 30.7 for high-amylose maize VII. Compared with X-ray A-type starches, B-type starches had longer chains. A shoulder of dp 18–21 (chain length of 6.3–7.4 nm) was found in many starches; the chain length of 6.3–7.4 nm was in the proximity of the length of the amylopectin crystalline region. Starches with short average amylopectin branch chain lengths (e.g., waxy rice and sweet rice starch), with large proportions of short branch chains (dp 11–16) relative to the shoulder of dp 18–21 (e.g., wheat and barley starch), and with high starch phosphate monoester content (e.g., potato starch) displayed low gelatinization temperatures. Amylose contents and amylopectin branch chain-length distributions predominantly affected the pasting properties of starch.     

Influence of amylopectin structure and amylose content on the gelling properties of five cultivars of cassava starches

Five cassava genotypes were investigated to identify the fine amylopectin structures and granule chemical compositions, which differentiated the starches into high (T(o) = 63.7 degrees C on average) and low (57.3 degrees C on average) gelatinization temperatures. The amylose contents (15.9-22.4%) and granular dimensions (12.9-17.2 microm) significantly differed among the starches. Diverse amylopectin structural elements resulted in significant swelling power, viscoelastic properties, and gel firmness. Debranched starches revealed a trimodal amylopectin distribution of three fractions: FIII (DP 12), FII (DP 24.31), and FI (DP 63) and FIII (DP 12), FII (DP 24.69), and FI (DP 67) for the low and high gelatinization starch groups, respectively. The higher proportion of FI long chain entanglement with amylose chain lengths to form longer helical structures was confirmed in the high gelatinization starch group, which developed "true" gels with better shear resistance, frequency independence, and higher gel firmness. Significant amounts of resistant starch fractions revealed the potential for application of these genotype starches in diverse foods.     

Structural characterization of Peruvian carrot (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) starch and the effect of annealing on its semicrystalline structure

Structural characteristics of native and annealed Peruvian carrot (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) starches were determined and compared to those of cassava and potato starches. Peruvian carrot starch presented round and irregular shaped granules, low amylose content and B-type X-ray pattern. Amylopectin of this starch contained a large proportion of long (DP > 37) and short (DP 6-12) branched chains. These last ones may contribute to its low gelatinization temperature. After annealing, the gelatinization temperatures of all starches increased, but the ΔH and the crystallinity increased only in Peruvian carrot and potato starches. The annealing process promoted a higher exposure of Peruvian carrot amylose molecules, which were more quickly attacked by enzymes, whereas amylopectin molecules became more resistant to hydrolysis. Peruvian carrot starch had structural characteristics that differed from those of cassava and potato starches. Annealing affected the semicrystalline structure of this starch, enhancing its crystallinity, mainly due to a better interaction between amylopectin chains.     

Molecular and Gelatinization Properties of Rice Starches from IR24 and Sinandomeng Cultivars

The differences in pasting properties involving gelatinization and retrogradation of rice starches from IR24 and Sinandomeng cultivars during heating‐cooling processes were investigated using a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA)and a dynamic rheometer. The results were discussed in relation to the molecular structure, actual amylose content (AC), and concentration of the starches. Generally, both starches possessed a comparable AC (≈11 wt%), amylose average chain length (CL), iodine absorption properties, and dynamic rheological parameters on heating to 95°C at 10 wt% and on cooling to 10°C at higher concentrations. In contrast to Sinandomeng, IR24 amylose had a greater proportion of high molecular weight species and number‐average degree of polymerization (DP_n). IR24 amylopectin possessed a lower DP_n and greater CL, exterior CL (ECL), and interior CL (ICL). Comparing the results of RVA analysis and dynamic rheology, the gelatinization properties and higher retrogradation tendencies of IR24 starch can be related to the structural properties and depend on starch concentration. In addition, the exponent n of starch concentration for storage moduli at 25°C (G′₂₅ ∝ Cⁿ) increased linearly with increasing AC.     

Preparation and Properties of Starch Phosphates Using Waxy,Common, and High‐Amylose Corn Starches. I. Oven‐Heating Method

The structure and physicochemical properties of waxy, common, and high‐amylose corn starch phosphates prepared by oven heating were studied. Starch phosphates prepared by either slurry or dry‐mixing treatment before oven heating were also compared. The slurry treatment more efficiently incorporated phosphorus into starch relative to the dry‐mixing treatment under the reaction conditions studied. In general, the phosphorylated starch prepared by the slurry treatment exhibited a lower gelatinization temperature, a higher peak viscosity, a lesser degree of retrogradation, and improved freeze‐thaw stability compared with those prepared by the dry‐mixing treatment. Phosphorylation occurred probably in both amylose and amylopectin, and the amount and location of incorporated phosphate groups varied with starch types likely due to their different amylose and amylopectin contents. Waxy starch was more prone to phosphorylation, followed by common and high‐amylose starches, respectively.     

Investigation of Digestibility In Vitro and Physicochemical Properties of A‐ and B‐Type Starch from Soft and Hard Wheat Flour

In this study, the functional properties of A‐ and B‐type wheat starch granules from two commercial wheat flours were investigated for digestibility in vitro, chemical composition (e.g., amylose, protein, and ash content), gelatinization, retrogradation, and pasting properties. The branch chain length and chain length distribution of these A‐ and B‐type wheat starch granules were also determined using high‐performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC). Wheat starches with different granular sizes not only had different degrees of enzymatic hydrolysis and thermal and pasting properties, but also different molecular characteristics. Different amylose content, protein content, and branch chain length of amylopectin in A‐ and B‐type wheat starch granules could also be the major factors besides granular size for different digestibility and other functional properties of starch. The data indicate that different wheat cultivars with different proportion of A‐ and B‐type granular starch could result in different digestibility in wheat products.     

电子束辐照预处理对辛烯基琥珀酸改性芋艿淀粉性质的影响研究

为探究不同剂量电子束辐照预处理对辛烯基琥珀酸改性芋艿淀粉颗粒结构和功能特征的影响,本研究以奉化芋艿淀粉为材料,对其进行电子束辐照预处理,分析处理前后改性淀粉的颗粒结构、热力学性质、溶胀特性、消化性和乳化性。结果表明,电子束辐照预处理显著改变了辛烯基琥珀酸改性芋艿淀粉酯的理化与功能特性。随着辐照剂量从2 kGy逐步增加至50 kGy,辛烯基琥珀酸改性淀粉(OSTS)颗粒屑状点逐渐增多、表面形成的皱痕和突起加深,并出现颗粒破裂;快消化淀粉(RDS)含量和水溶性指数不断增加,结晶度、缓慢消化淀粉(SDS)、糊化峰值温度(T_p)不断下降;直链淀粉含量和溶胀力呈现先增加后减少的趋势,糊化焓、抗性淀粉、乳化稳定性和FTIR光谱中1 047 cm^-1/1 022 cm^-1 峰强度呈现先降低后升高的趋势。本研究为采用电子束辐照预处理技术改善辛烯基琥珀酸改性淀粉的功能特性提供了一定的理论依据。     

Properties and Structures of Flours and Starches from Whole,Broken, and Yellowed Rice Kernels in a Model Study

The objective of this study was to compare the structure and properties of flours and starches from whole, broken, and yellowed rice kernels that were broken or discolored in the laboratory. Physicochemical properties including pasting, gelling, thermal properties, and X‐ray diffraction patterns were determined. Structure was elucidated using high‐performance size‐exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC‐PAD). The yellowed rice kernels contained a slightly higher protein content and produced a significantly lower starch yield than did the whole or broken rice kernels. Flour from the yellowed rice kernels had a significantly higher pasting temperature, higher Brabender viscosities, increased damaged starch content, reduced amylose content, and increased gelatinization temperature and enthalpy compared with flours from the whole or the broken rice kernels. However, all starches showed similar pasting, gelling, thermal properties, and X‐ray diffraction patterns, and no structural differences could be detected among different starches by HPSEC and HPAEC‐PAD. α‐Amylase may be responsible for the decreased amylopectin fraction, decreased apparent amylose content, and increased amounts of low molecular weight saccharides in the yellowed rice flour. The increased amount of reducing sugars from starch hydrolysis promoted the interaction between starch and protein. The alkaline‐soluble fraction during starch isolation is presumed to contribute to the difference in pasting, gelling, and thermal properties among whole, broken, and yellowed rice flours.     

Properties of Starches from Several Low‐Amylose Rice Cultivars

The starch properties of five low‐amylose rice cultivars, Yawarakomachi, Soft 158, Hanabusa, Aya, and Snow Pearl, were compared with those of two normal amylose rice cultivars, Nipponbare and Hinohikari. There were no large differences in the distributions of the amylopectin chain length determined by high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography, and the starch gelatinization properties determined by differential scanning calorimetry, between normal and low‐amylose rice cultivars. Results obtained using rapid viscosity analysis indicated that low‐amylose rice starches had lower peak viscosity, breakdown, and setback values than normal amylose rice starches. Starch granules from low‐amylose rice cultivars had a higher susceptibility to glucoamylase than those from normal amylose rice cultivars. The results of this study showed some differences between normal and low‐amylose rice starches in pasting properties and enzymatic digestibility.     

Effect of Amylose Content on Gelatinization,Retrogradation, and Pasting Properties of Starches from Waxy and Nonwaxy Wheat and Their F1 Seeds

We studied the effect of amylose content on the gelatinization, retrogradation, and pasting properties of starch using wheat starches differing in amylose content. Starches were isolated from waxy and nonwaxy wheat and reciprocal F1 seeds by crossing waxy and nonwaxy wheat. Mixing waxy and nonwaxy wheat starch produced a mixed starch with the same amylose content as F1 seeds for comparison. The amylose content of F1 seeds ranged between waxy and nonwaxy wheat. Nonwaxy‐waxy wheat had a higher amylose content than waxy‐nonwaxy wheat. Endothermic enthalpy and final gelatinization temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry correlated negatively with amylose content. Gelatinization onset and peak temperature clearly differed between F1 and mixed starches with the same amylose content as F1 starches. Enthalpy for melting recrystallized starches correlated negatively with amylose content. Rapid Visco Analyser measurement showed that F1 starches had a higher peak viscosity than waxy and nonwaxy wheat starches. Mixed starches showed characteristic profiles with two low peaks. Setback and final viscosity correlated highly with amylose content. Some of gelatinization and pasting properties differed between F1 starches and mixed starches.     

Physicochemical and structural properties of maize and potato starches as a function of granule size

Chemical composition, molecular structure and organization, and thermal and pasting properties of maize and potato starches fractionated on the basis of granule size were investigated to understand heterogeneity within granule populations. For both starches, lipid, protein, and mineral contents decreased and apparent amylose contents increased with granule size. Fully branched (whole) and debranched molecular size distributions in maize starch fractions were invariant with granule size. Higher amylose contents and amylopectin hydrodynamic sizes were found for larger potato starch granules, although debranched molecular size distributions did not vary. Larger granules had higher degrees of crystallinity and greater amounts of double and single helical structures. Systematic differences in pasting and thermal properties were observed with granule size. Results suggest that branch length distributions in both amylose and amylopectin fractions are under tighter biosynthetic control in potato starch than either molecular size or amylose/amylopectin ratio, whereas all three parameters are controlled during the biosynthesis of maize starch.     

Structures and physicochemical properties of six wild rice starches

Starches from six wild rice cultivars were studied for their chemical structures and physicochemical properties and compared with a long-grain rice starch. The six wild rice starches were similar in morphological appearance, X-ray diffraction patterns, swelling power, and water solubility index but different in amylose content, beta-amylolysis limit, branch chain length distribution, thermal properties, and pasting properties. The structure of the wild rice amylopectins was close to that of waxy rice amylopectin with more branching and a larger proportion of short branch chains of degree of polymerization 6-12 as compared with that of amylopectin from rice starch with a similar amylose content. The differences in branch chain length distribution of amylopectin and amylose content were assumed to contribute to the differences in physicochemical properties among the six wild rice starches as well as to the differences between the wild rice starches and the rice starch.     

Characterization of starch from tubers of yam bean (Pachyrhizus ahipa).

Detailed studies of the starch present in tubers of six accessions of Pachyrhizus ahipa (ahipa) have been carried out using starches from tubers of P. erosus (Mexican yam bean) and seeds of ahipa and wheat for comparison. Starch accounted for 56-58% of the tuber dry weight with granules occurring in a range of geometric forms and in sizes from below 5 microm to about 35 microm (mean about 10 microm in all accessions except two). The amylose content ranged from 11.6 to 16.8% compared with 16.9% in P. erosus tubers and over 23% in the seed starches. X- ray diffraction analysis showed A-type or C(A)-type diffraction patterns. The chain-length distribution of the amylopectin after enzyme debranching showed a peak at DP11 similar to that of wheat starch, but had a less marked shoulder at DP 21-22 and contained a higher proportion of longer chains. Differential scanning calorimitry showed an endothermic peak corresponding to gelatinization with T(max) ranging from 59 to 63 degrees C, which was similar to the T(max) of wheat (about 64 degrees C). The composition of the ahipa starch may mean that it is suitable for food applications that require low amylose content and low retrogradation after processing.     

Properties of Starches from Near‐Isogenic Wheat Lines with Different Wx Protein Deficiencies

To determine the effect of amylose content on the starch properties, the amylose content, pasting properties, swelling power, enzymatic digestibility, and thermal properties of partial and perfect waxy types along with their wild‐type parent were analyzed. As expected, amylose content decreases differently in response to the loss of each Wx gene, showing the least response to Wx‐A1a. Most of the characteristics, except the thermal properties of the amylose‐lipid complex in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differed significantly among the tested types. Furthermore, the breakdown, setback, and pasting temperatures from the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) and the enzymatic digestibility, swelling power, peak temperature, and enthalpy of starch gelatinization from DSC showed a correlation with the amylose content. The relationships between the peak viscosity from the RVA and the onset temperature of starch gelatinization determined by DSC with amylose content of the tested materials were not clear. Waxy starch, which has no amylose, showed a contrasting behavior in starch gelatinization compared with nonwaxy starches. Among the nonwaxy starches, lower setback, lower pasting temperature, higher enzyme digestibility, higher peak temperature, higher enthalpy of starch gelatinization, and higher swelling were generally associated with low amylose starches.     

Approaches for Modification of Starch Composition in Durum Wheat

Manipulation of starch composition in cereals and particularly in wheat is receiving increasing attention due to recognition of its important role in food and nonfood applications. The amylose/ amylopectin ratio influences the physicochemical properties of starches and nutritional value of derived end products. Identification of the key enzymes involved in the starch biosynthetic pathway has opened new avenues for altering the amylose and amylopectin content in durum and bread wheat. The granule bound starch synthases (GBSSI), or waxy proteins, are the enzymes responsible for amylose synthesis in storage tissues; amylopectin is produced by the concerted action of different enzymes, including starch synthases (SS), branching (SBE), and debranching enzymes (DBE). By altering the level of key enzymes involved in the regulation of starch synthesis, it is possible to generate novel starches with unique functional properties. In this respect, both low and high amylose starches are particularly interesting because they are associated with industrial and processing properties as well as with human health and nutrition. So far, major attention has addressed the manipulation of starch composition in bread wheat, whereas durum wheat has been investigated to a much lesser extent. Approaches currently available to alter amylose/amylopectin ratio and tailor starch composition in durum wheat are presented.     

Relationships among the composition and physicochemical properties of starches with the characteristics of their films

The physical, molecular, and functional properties of corn, cassava, and yam starches were related to the film properties of these starches. Corn, cassava, and yam starches contained 25%, 19%, and 30% amylose, respectively. Amylose from yam starch showed the smallest molecular weight among the starches and amylopectin from corn starch the smallest molecular weight. Cassava starch presented a higher amylopectin content, and its gels and films were less strong, more transparent, and more flexible than corn and yam films. Plasticized films of the three starches were more flexible, with a higher strain and lower stress at break when the glycerol content increased. Unplasticized films were brittle and had water vapor permeability values ranging from 6.75 x 10(-10) to 8.33 x 10(-10) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1). These values decreased when the glycerol content reached 20 g/100 g of starch because a more compact structure was formed. Then, at a glycerol content of 40 g/100 g of starch, the WVP increased because the film matrixes became less dense.     

Effects of Environmental Temperature on Structure and Gelatinization Properties of Wheat Starch

The effects of environmental temperature on gelatinization properties and amylopectin structures of wheat endosperm starch were examined by isolating starches from four wheat cultivars matured in growth chambers at daytime temperatures of 15, 20, 25, or 30°C. Kernel weight and starch content per kernel were reduced by high maturation temperature. Amylose content showed no significant change at high maturation temperature in some cultivars; in other cultivars, there was a slight increase. Principal component analysis of data on relative peak areas of debranched amylopectin showed that amylopectin from wheat grown at a lower temperature had a greater proportion of shorter chains. Amylopectin branch chains were classified into three groups based on the correlation coefficients between the data of branch chain length distribution and principal component scores, degree of polymerization (DP) of 6–12, DP 13–34, and DP ≥ 35. The gelatinization temperature of starches increased markedly at a higher maturation temperature, with increases exceeding 10°C at high maturation temperatures. Gelatinization properties correlated significantly with amylopectin chain length distribution.