Preparation and characterization of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and deacetylated KGM (Da-KGM) obtained by sonication

Konjac glucomannan: A comprehensive review of its extraction, health benefits, and pharmaceutical applications

Konjac glucomannan (KG) is a dietary fiber hydrocolloid derived from Amorphophallus konjac tubers and is widely utilized as a food additive and dietary supplement. As a health-conscious choice, purified KG, along with konjac flour and KG-infused diets, have gained widespread acceptance in Asian and European markets. An overview of the chemical composition and structure of KG is given in this review, along with thorough explanations of the processes used in its extraction, production, and purification. KG has been shown to promote health by reducing glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and blood pressure, thereby offering significant weight loss advantages. Furthermore, this review delves into the extensive health benefits and pharmaceutical applications of KG and its derivatives, emphasizing its prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. This study highlights how these natural polysaccharides can positively influence health, underscoring their potential in various biomedical applications.

Stability enhancement of proanthocyanidin-loaded liposomes via surface decoration with oxidized konjac glucomannan

The stability enhancement of proanthocyanidin-loaded liposomes (PC-Lip) via surface decoration with oxidized konjac glucomannan (OKGM) was investigated. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading capacity of OKGM-coated PC-Lip (OKGM-PC-Lip) rose significantly. The average size and PDI of OKGM-PC-Lip increased, while the zeta potential decreased compared to those of PC-Lip. PC-Lip membrane fluidity reduced after coating with OKGM. The morphology of OKGM-PC-Lip showed that OKGM "halo layer" was formed on the liposome surface. Hydrogen bonding played an indispensable role in the combination between OKGM and PC-Lip, and the phase transition temperature of PC-Lip slightly increased after coating with OKGM. The retention rate of OKGM-PC-Lip was higher than that of PC-Lip at extreme pH. In vitro release, no significant difference in cumulative release was detected between OKGM-PC-Lip and PC-Lip at gastric stage, while the cumulative release rate of OKGM-PC-Lip was remarkably lower than that of PC-Lip at intestinal stage. The antioxidant activity of OKGM-PC-Lip was notably higher than that of PC-Lip. These results suggested that the resistance of PC-Lip to external influences was fruitfully enhanced after coating with OKGM. Compared with other polysaccharides, OKGM-coated liposomes may be more promising and advantageous in functional foods due to the polysaccharide's benefits to human health.

Deacetylated Konjac Glucomannan with a Slower Hydration Rate Delays Rice Digestion and Weakens Appetite Response

The physical characteristics of chyme during gastrointestinal digestion are considered to significantly affect nutrient digestion and absorption (such as glucose diffusion), which has an impact on postprandial satiety. The present study aims to analyze the hydration rate (HR) and rheological properties of deacetylated konjac glucomannan (DKGM) at different degrees and then explore their effects on rice texture, digestive properties, and the subjects' post-meal appetite. The present results show that, as the deacetylation degree (DD) of KGM increased, the intersection point of the viscoelastic modulus shifted to a high shear rate frequency, and as the swelling time of the DKGM was prolonged, its HR decreased significantly. The results of the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion tests show that the hardness and chewability of the rice in the fast-hydration group (MK1) were remarkably reduced. In contrast, the slow-hydration group (MK5) exhibited an outstanding ability to resist digestion. The kinetics of starch hydrolysis revealed that the HR of the rice in the fast-hydration group was 1.8 times faster than that of the slow-hydration group. Moreover, it was found that the subjects' appetite after the meal was highly related to the HR of the MK. Their hunger (p < 0.001), desire to eat (p < 0.001), and prospective food consumption (p < 0.001) were significantly inhibited in the slow-hydration group (MK5) compared to the control. This study explored the nutritional effects of the hydration properties derived from the DKGM, which may contribute to modifying the high glycemic index food and provide ideas for the fabrication of food with enhanced satiating capacity.

Comparative study on the effect of inhibitory methods on the color and gelation properties of alkali induced heat-set konjac gel from Amorphophallus bulbifer

As a newly superior konjac variety, the Amorphophallus bulbifer (A. bulbifer) was easily browning during the alkali-induced process. In this study, five different inhibitory methods, such as citric-acid heat pretreatment (CAT), mixed with citric acid (CA), mixed with ascorbic acid (AA), mixed with L-cysteine (CYS), and mixed with potato starch (PS, containing TiO2), were separately used to inhibit the browning of alkali-induced heat-set A. bulbifer gel (ABG). The color and gelation properties were then investigated and compared. Results showed that the inhibitory methods had significant influences on the appearance, color, physicochemical properties, rheological properties, and microstructures of ABG. Among them, the CAT method not only significantly inhibited the browning of ABG (ΔE value dropped from 25.74 to 14.68) but also improved the water-holding capacity, moisture distribution, and thermal stability without damaging the textural properties of ABG. Moreover, SEM revealed that both CAT and adding PS methods could exhibit the more dense gel network structures of ABG than other methods. It was reasonable to conclude that ABG-CAT offered a superior method to prevent browning compared to the other methods based on the texture, microstructure, color, appearance, and thermal stability of the product.

Properties of whey protein isolation/konjac glucomannan composite gels: Effects of deacetylation degrees

The effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM) with different deacetylation degrees (DDs) on the gel properties of whey protein isolate (WPI) were investigated. The appropriately deacetylated KGM (DDs in the range of 0-53.85 %) incorporated within WPI and formed relatively uniform compound gels, while excessive deacetylated KGM (DDs = 63.46 or 71.63 %) caused macroscopic precipitation and aggregation in WPI-KGM system. The water holding capacity of WPI-KGM gels decreased with the gradual increase of DDs, and the removal of acetyl groups reduced the whiteness of the composite gels. The hardness and chewiness of the composite gel tended to increase and subsequently decrease with the enhancement of DDs, and reached the maximum (244.15 and 148.88 g, respectively) at the DDs of 53.85 %. The rheological analysis indicated that rigid structured WPI-KGM gels could be formed when incorporated with moderately deacetylated KGM. The deacetylated KGM (DDs = 53.85 %) enhanced the hydrogen bond and disulfide bond within the mixed system, resulting in a more compact network structure of the composite gels. Moreover, deacetylated KGM particles might also reinforce the gel strength by the "filling effects". Overall, the gelation characteristics of the WPI-KGM system can be regulated by controlling the DDs of KGM.

Evaluation of the composition of konjac glucomannan on the color changes during the deacetylation reaction

As a newly superior konjac variety, the Amorphophallus bulbifer (A. bulbifer) has several unique advantages of high reproductive coefficient, short growth cycle, high disease resistance, high konjac glucomannan (KGM) content and climate adaption to hot or humid conditions. However, the gel formed by KGM from the A. bulbifer flour is easily browning during the alkali-induced process and the mechanism underlying them is still unclear. In order to explore the browning mechanisms, the changes of composition and color parameters of KGM were investigated during deacetylation in this research. The L*, h*, total phenols, total flavonoids, reducing sugars, and amino acids decreased along with the increase of deacetylation degree of KGM while a*, ΔЕ, and browning index increased. The results indicated that the oxidation or polymerization of polyphenols and flavones in alkaline circumstances, and the carbonyl ammonia reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids may be the main reasons for color changes of KGM flour during deacetylation. Hence, this study was expected to provide the theoretical basis for the inhibition of KGM gel browning and further broaden the application range of KGM in food and other industries.

Rheological and microstructural properties of polysaccharide obtained from the gelatinous Tremella fuciformis fungus

The gelatinous feature of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) has attracted growing interest in its application as a thickening agent in the food industry. This study aims to reveal the microstructure and rheological properties of TFP. Results showed that TFP randomly distributed in aqueous solutions in an irregular worm-like morphology and formed a more extensive entangled network and stiffer chains at higher concentration solutions. The further rheological study indicated that the TFP solutions exhibited a shear-thinning behavior. Multiple results of dynamic oscillation tests confirmed the viscoelastic properties of TFP. Frequency sweep data display that TFP solutions exhibit solid-like behavior at high frequencies, showing the oscillatory behavior of entangled polymers. The temperature sweep demonstrated that the rheological behavior of TFP is thermally reversible. These results enriched the understanding of the rheology-microstructure relationship of TFP solution and were beneficial to expanding the application of TFP in food processing.

Effects of Physical Properties of Konjac Glucomannan on Appetite Response of Rats

Dietary fiber has been widely used in designing foods with a high satiating capacity, as the use of satiety-enhancing food is considered to be a promising strategy for combating obesity and the overweight condition. In the present study, partially degraded konjac glucomannan (DKGM) diets with different water-holding capacities, swelling capacities, and viscosities were used to feed rats to investigate the effects of the fiber's physical properties in regulating the appetite response of the animals. The results showed that the mass and water content of the gastrointestinal chyme increased as the diet's physical properties were enhanced by the DKGM, which increased the stomach distention of the rats and promoted satiation. Besides, the hydrated DKGM elevated the chyme's viscosity, and the retention time of the digesta in the small intestine was prolonged significantly, which resulted in an increased concentration of cholecystokinin-8, glucagon-like peptide 1, and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine in the plasma, thus helping to maintain the satiety of rats. Furthermore, the results of the behavioral satiety sequence and meal pattern analysis showed that DKGM in the diets is more likely to reduce the food intake of rats by enhancing satiety rather than satiation, and will finally inhibit excessive weight gain. In conclusion, the physical properties of dietary fiber are highly related to the appetite response, which is a powerful tool in designing food with a high satiating capacity.

Effects of Combining High Pressure Processing Treatments and Konjac Glucomannan and Sodium Caseinate on Gel Properties of Myosin Protein

Effects of two high pressure processing treatments and various levels of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and sodium caseinate (SC) on texture properties, water-holding capacity, and ultra-structure of gels of rabbit myosin protein were investigated. The two high pressure processing treatments were as follows: (1) mean pressure (200 MPa), low temperature (37 °C), and holding for a short time (5 min) followed heating (80 °C for 40 min) (gel LP + H), and (2) high pressure (500 MPa), high temperature (60 °C), and holding for a long time (30 min) (gel HP). Gel LP + H have better gel properties (increased hardness, springiness, gumminess, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and water binding capacity) than gels HP. Above all, gels myosin + SC:KGM (2:1) have best gel properties. KGM and SC both significantly improved the gel texture properties and water binding capacity.