In vitro digestibility of proteins from historical and modern wheat cultivars

Peasant vs. Industrial durum wheat pasta: Impact of each processing step on protein solubility and digestibility

Some people with Non-Coeliac Gluten (or Wheat) Sensitivity (NCGS) declare that they can consume peasant pasta without the usual inconvenience they experience after eating industrial pasta. The main differences between peasant and industrial pasta lie in the varieties used (old vs. modern), and the production chain (grain milling, semolina hydration and mixing, extrusion or lamination, drying and packaging). Yet, the varieties, the material and the method used by the peasants and by the industrial sector to make pasta differ at each stage. The impact of each of these stages was analyzed on protein quantity and quality from semolina to cooked pasta. Grown in the same conditions, the old variety (cv. Bidi 17) used by farmers contained much more protein than the modern variety (cv. Anvergur) recommended by industry and its pasta was better-digested in-vitro. Focusing on cooked pasta, milling had a great impact on not easily soluble proteins (DTE-soluble proteins): pasta made from stone-milled grains (peasant method) had less DTE-soluble proteins than pasta made from roller-milled grains (industrial method) and a higher amount of in-vitro digested proteins. The mixing and extrusion step mainly affected the easily soluble proteins (SDS-soluble proteins). The amount of such proteins was greater for farmer cooked pasta (non-monitored extrusion) than for industrial ones (monitored extrusion). Concerning the drying step, the proportion of SDS-soluble proteins was higher for the pasta dried at low temperature (peasant method), compared to high temperature (industrial method). Thus, the observation that peasant cooked pasta would be more digestible than industrial pasta seems to be due mainly to variety (61%), to a lesser extent to grinding on a stone-mill (22%) and extrusion on non-monitored conditions (16%) and finally a little (1%) to drying at low temperature and therefore longer.

Farmer vs. Industrial Practices: Impact of Variety, Cropping System and Process on the Quality of Durum Wheat Grains and Final Products

The consumption of artisanal and organic pasta made on-farm from ancient varieties is increasing in France. Some people, namely, those suffering from digestive disorders following the consumption of industrial pasta, consider these artisanal pasta to be more digestible. Most of them have linked these digestive disorders to the ingestion of gluten. We analyzed in this study the impact of industrial and artisanal practices on the protein quality of durum wheat products. The varieties recommended by the industry (IND) were compared to those used by farmers (FAR): the FAR being on average much richer in protein. However, the solubility of these proteins analyzed by Size Exclusion-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (SE-HPLC) and their in vitro proteolysis by digestive enzymes vary little between the two groups of varieties, while differences between varieties in each group are observable. The location of grain production and the tested cropping systems (zero vs. low input) have a low impact on protein quality. Yet, more contrasting modalities should be studied to validate this point. The type of production process (artisanal vs. industrial) is, among those studied, the factor having the greatest impact on protein compositionPasta produced by the artisanal method contains a higher sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-soluble protein fraction and are more in-vitro proteolyzed. Whether these criteria are indicative of what happens during a consumer's digestion remains to be determined. It also remains to be assessed which key stages of the process have the greatest influence on protein quality.

Evaluation of nutrients and organoleptic value of novel value added multibran cookies using multivariate approach

Cereal and legume flours are intensively being used by food experts to formulate cookies. But their byproducts are discarded in spite of being nutrient rich. The study was conducted to determine nutrients, organoleptic properties and shelf-life of highly nutritive multibran cookies formulated with partial replacement of wheat flour along with the milling byproducts i.e., chickpea husk, moong bean husk, rice bran, broken rice, and wheat bran. The percentages of the byproduct flour, taken for the formulation of the product, was determined using central composite design of response surface methodology. According to the obtained data, Multi-bran cookies (MBC) possessed rich nutrient composition in comparison with the control sample i.e., the wheat flour cookies (WFC). MBC showed 18% crude protein, 5% crude fiber, higher than the crude protein (7.78%) and crude fiber (2%) of WFC. However, total sugar concentrations of MBC (3.08 g/100 g) was lower than WFC (4.89 g/100 g). Calcium and phosphorus present in MBC were 115.06 mg/100 g and 195.88 mg/100 g respectively, significantly higher (p < 0.05) than WFC. The overall acceptability of MBC as indicated by 9-point hedonic scale (8.13) was satisfactory. On the basis of the obtained data it can be said that the selected milling byproducts can be used as potential plant-based sources to develop significant functional products like cookies without affecting its sensory quality and to improve nutritional status of consumer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05559-1.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and Protective Role of Dietary Polyphenols

Pathogenetically characterized by the absence of celiac disease and wheat allergy, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a clinical entity triggered by the consumption of gluten-containing foods that relieved by a gluten-free diet. Since it is very difficult to maintain a complete gluten-free diet, there is a high interest in discovering alternative strategies aimed at reducing gluten concentration or mitigating its toxic effects. Plant-based dietary models are usually rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, recognized to prevent, delay, or even reverse chronic diseases, including intestinal disorders. However, research on the role of polyphenols in mitigating the toxicity of gluten-containing foods is currently limited. We address the metabolic fate of dietary polyphenols, both as free and bound macromolecule-linked forms, with particular reference to the gastrointestinal compartment, where the concentration of polyphenols can reach high levels. We analyze the potential targets of polyphenols including the gluten peptide bioavailability, the dysfunction of the intestinal epithelial barrier, intestinal immune response, oxidative stress and inflammation, and dysbiosis. Overall, this review provides an updated overview of the effects of polyphenols as possible dietary strategies to counteract the toxic effects of gluten, potentially resulting in the improved quality of life of patients with gluten-related disorders.

Influences of grain and protein characteristics on in vitro protein digestibility of modern and ancient wheat species

BACKGROUND

The resistance of proteins to gastrointestinal digestion contributes to their ability to act as allergens. Near-complete digestion of protein in wheat products is important with respect to avoiding the potential immunogenic effects of undigested peptides. Five modern US wheat classes (soft red winter, hard winter, hard red spring, club and durum) including 17 wheat varieties, as well as three ancient wheat classes (spelt, emmer and einkorn) including nine wheat varieties, were analyzed for kernel hardness (KH) and flour protein characteristics, in addition to in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of cooked flour, flour without albumins and globulins (FWOAG), gluten, albumins, and globulins, aiming to identify the factors influencing the protein digestibility of flour.

RESULTS

IVPDs of flour, FWOAG, gluten and albumins of wheat varieties ranged from 86.5% to 92.3%, 85.8% to 90.3%, 90.6% to 94.6% and 74.8% to 85.1%, respectively. The IVPD of gluten was significantly higher than the IVPDs of flour and FWOAG, indicating that non-protein components substantially affect protein digestibility. Significant differences were observed in IVPDs of flour and albumins among eight wheat classes, but not in the IVPDs of FWOAG, gluten and globulins. There were apparent differences in undigested protein bands and intensities of wheat classes with low and high flour IVPDs. KH and albumin proportion exhibited negative and positive relationships, respectively, with flour IVPD.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study demonstrate that KH, non-protein components and albumin proportion have a major influence on protein digestion and need to be considered when developing wheat cultivars with higher protein digestibility.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Breeding from 1891 to 2010 Contributed to Increasing Yield and Glutenin Contents but Decreasing Protein and Gliadin Contents

Epidemiologic studies suggest an increasing prevalence of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity. With wheat proteins being the main triggers, changes in wheat protein composition are discussed as a potential cause. The goals of breeding toward increased yield and resistance might have inadvertently contributed to a higher immunostimulatory potential of modern wheat cultivars compared to old wheat cultivars. Therefore, agronomic characteristics, protein content, and gluten composition of 60 German winter wheat cultivars first registered between 1891 and 2010 grown in 3 years were analyzed. While plant height and spike density decreased over time, yield and harvest index increased. The protein and gliadin contents showed a decreasing trend, whereas glutenin contents increased, but there were no changes in albumin/globulin and gluten contents. Overall, the harvest year had a more significant effect on protein composition than the cultivar. At the protein level, we found no evidence to support an increased immunostimulatory potential of modern winter wheat.

The Two Faces of Wheat

Wheat-based foods have been staple foods since about 10,000 years and constitute a major source of energy, dietary fiber, and micronutrients for the world population. The role of wheat in our diet, however, has recently been scrutinized by pseudoscientific books and media reports promoting the overall impression that wheat consumption makes people sick, stupid, fat, and addicted. Consequently, numerous consumers in Western countries have started to question their dietary habits related to wheat consumption and voluntarily decided to adopt a wheat-free diet without a medical diagnosis of any wheat-related disorder (WRD), such as celiac disease, wheat allergy, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The aim of this review is to achieve an objective judgment of the positive aspects of wheat consumption as well as adverse effects for individuals suffering from WRDs. The first part presents wheat constituents and their positive nutritional value, in particular, the consumption of products from whole-grain flours. The second part is focused on WRDs that affect predisposed individuals and can be treated with a gluten-free or -reduced diet. Based on all available scientific knowledge, wheat consumption is safe and healthy for the vast majority of people. There is no scientific evidence to support that the general population would benefit from a wheat-free diet.