Enhanced thermal stability of green banana starch by heat-moisture treatment and its ability to reduce body fat accumulation and modulate gut microbiota

Green banana resistant starch: A promising potential as functional ingredient against certain maladies

This review covers the significance of green banana resistant starch (RS), a substantial polysaccharide. The food industry has taken an interest in green banana flour due to its 30% availability of resistant starch and its approximately 70% starch content on a dry basis, making its use suitable for food formulations where starch serves as the base. A variety of processing techniques, such as heat-moisture, autoclaving, microwaving, high hydrostatic pressure, extrusion, ultrasound, acid hydrolysis, and enzymatic debranching treatments, have made significant advancements in the preparation of resistant starch. These advancements aim to change the structure, techno-functionality, and subsequently the physiological functions of the resistant starch. Green bananas make up the highest RS as compared to other foods and cereals. Many food processing industries and cuisines now have a positive awareness due to the functional characteristics of green bananas, such as their pasting, thermal, gelatinization, foaming, and textural characteristics. It is also found useful for controlling the rates of cancer, obesity, and diabetic disorders. Moreover, the use of GBRS as prebiotics and probiotics might be significantly proved good for gut health. This study aimed at the awareness of the composition, extraction and application of the green banana resistant starch in the future food products.

Assessing Amylose Content with Iodine and Con A Methods, In Vivo Digestion Profile, and Thermal Properties of Amylosucrase-Treated Waxy Corn Starch

In this study, waxy corn starch was modified with 230 U or 460 U of amylosucrase (AS) from Neisseria polysaccharea (NP) to elongate the glucan. The amylose content of the AS-modified starches was determined using iodine and concanavalin A (Con A) methods, and their in vivo digestion, thermal, swelling, and pasting properties were evaluated. The amylose content of AS-treated starches was not significantly different (p > 0.05) when using the Con A method but was significantly higher than that of non-AS-treated samples when using the iodine method. In vivo, rats fed AS-treated starch had significantly lower blood glucose levels at 15 min than other rats; rats fed 460 U AS had lower blood glucose levels at 30 and 60 min than non-AS-treated rats. DSC analysis revealed that AS-treated starches exhibited higher initial, melting, and completion temperatures. Minimal volume expansion was observed by swelling factor analysis, while a Rapid Visco Analyzer assessment revealed that they had higher pasting onset temperatures, lower peak viscosities, and no trough viscosity compared to native starch. The elongated glucans in AS-treated starch reinforced their crystalline structure and increased slowly digestible and enzyme-resistant starch content. Overall, AS-treated starch showed unique thermal properties and a reduced blood glucose index upon administration. This distinctive characteristic of NPAS-treated starch makes it a good candidate food or non-food material for cosmetic products, medical materials, and adhesives.

Characterization of green banana starch from "Songkibab" species cultivated in the southern part of Korea

Resistant starch (RS) has advantages for regulating the colon health as prebiotics and dietary fibers, and green banana has interested due to containing high amounts of RS. Here, the structural, physicochemical, and digestible characteristics of green banana starch from newly bred Songkibab (SB) were determined to evaluate its suitability for application as a new crop in response to global warming and for obtaining genetic diversity. SB starch has structural similarities to the Cavendish (CD) banana, which is widely consumed in Southeast Asia, in its ratio of B3-chains (in high amounts), flattened shapes of smooth surfaces, and B-type crystallinity. Physiochemically, SB shows comparable swelling power, amylose content, and viscosity pattern but a higher RS content. Conclusively, this study suggests that SB banana may be a good resource for replacing CD species with novel varieties in East Asia because of the high degree of similarity in the various characteristics.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01331-z.

Exploring the effects of enzymatic and thermal treatments on banana starch characteristics

Banana starch has a highly resistant starch (RS) and slow-digested starch (SDS) content, making it attractive as a functional ingredient. Unfortunately, banana starch requires modification processes due to the loss of RS and SDS during gelatinization because of its thermolabile characteristics. This study explores the effect of banana starch modification by enzymatic, heat moisture treatment (HMT) and dual modification (HMT+ enzymatic) on its nutritional (RS, SDS) and functional properties (hydration, structural, gelation, rheological). HMT and dual modifications decrease RS (from 44.62 g/100 g to 16.62 and 26.66 g/100 g, respectively) and increase SDS (from 21.72 g/100 g to 33.91 and 26.95 g/100 g, respectively) in raw starch but induce structural changes that enhance RS (from 3.10 g/100 g to 3.94 and 4.4 g/100 g, respectively) and SDS (from 2.58 g/100 g to 9.58 and 11.48 g/100 g) thermo-resistance in gelled starch. Also, changes in the functional properties of starches were evidenced, such as weaker gels (hardness < 41 g), lower water absorption (<12.35 g/g), high starch solubility (>1.77 g/100 g) and increased gelatinization temperature. Improved gelatinization temperature and RS thermostability resulted from modifications that could expand banana starch applications as a beverage and compote thickener agent.

Structural characterization of different starch-fatty acid complexes and their effects on human intestinal microflora

Resistant starch type 5 (RS5), a starch-lipid complex, exhibited potential health benefits in blood glucose and insulin control due to the low digestibility. The effects of the crystalline structure of starch and chain length of fatty acid on the structure, in vitro digestibility, and fermentation ability in RS5 were investigated by compounding (maize, rice, wheat, potato, cassava, lotus, and ginkgo) of different debranched starches with 12-18C fatty acid (lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids), respectively. The complex showed a V-type structure, formed by lotus and ginkgo debranched starches, and fatty acid exhibited a higher short-range order and crystallinity, and lower in vitro digestibility than others due to the neat interior structure of more linear glucan chains. Furthermore, a fatty acid with 12C (lauric acid)-debranched starches complexes had the highest complex index among all complexes, which might be attributed to the activation energy required for complex formation increased with the lengthening of the lipid carbon chain. Therefore, the lotus starch-lauric acid complex (LS12) exhibited remarkable ability in intestinal flora fermentation to produce short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs), reducing intestinal pH, and creating a favorable environment for beneficial bacteria.

The Role of Carbohydrate Intake on the Gut Microbiome: A Weight of Evidence Systematic Review

(1) Background: Carbohydrates are the most important source of nutritional energy for the human body. Carbohydrate digestion, metabolism, and their role in the gut microbiota modulation are the focus of multiple studies. The objective of this weight of evidence systematic review is to investigate the potential relationship between ingested carbohydrates and the gut microbiota composition at different taxonomic levels. (2) Methods: Weight of evidence and information value techniques were used to evaluate the relationship between dietary carbohydrates and the relative abundance of different bacterial taxa in the gut microbiota. (3) Results: The obtained results show that the types of carbohydrates that have a high information value are: soluble fiber with Bacteroides increase, insoluble fiber with Bacteroides and Actinobacteria increase, and Firmicutes decrease. Oligosaccharides with Lactobacillus increase and Enterococcus decrease. Gelatinized starches with Prevotella increase. Starches and resistant starches with Blautia decrease and Firmicutes increase. (4) Conclusions: This work provides, for the first time, an integrative review of the subject by using statistical techniques that have not been previously employed in microbiota reviews.

Tropical fruits from Australia as potential treatments for metabolic syndrome

Australia has a unique and diverse flora, including indigenous fruits, used by Australian Aboriginals for food and medicines for up to 45,000 years as well as recently introduced fruits for commercial production. However, this range of fruits has not led to the development of functional foods, for example for chronic inflammatory diseases such as metabolic syndrome including obesity, hypertension, fatty liver and diabetes. This review examines the potential of tropical and subtropical fruits from Australia to be used as functional foods for metabolic syndrome, including Davidson's plum, Queen Garnet plum, durian, litchi, breadfruit, jackfruit, mangosteen, papaya, jabuticaba, coffee and seaweed. Preclinical studies have defined potential responses of these functional foods in metabolic syndrome but the usefulness in humans with metabolic syndrome requires clinical studies which are scarce in the relevant literature. Overall, these Australian examples show that tropical fruits can provide functional foods to decrease chronic inflammatory diseases.

Potato resistant starch inhibits diet-induced obesity by modifying the composition of intestinal microbiota and their metabolites in obese mice

Potato resistant starch type 3 (PRS) is helpful for weight-loss. To investigate the regulatory effects of PRS on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, different doses of PRS (5%, 15% and 25%) were fed to mice for 12 weeks. Metabolic syndrome related to obesity, intestinal microbiota composition and its metabolites as well as the relationship among them were studied. Results showed that PRS could regulate HFD-induced metabolic syndrome in a dose dependent manner; promote the proliferation of intestinal cells and expression of tight junction proteins, such as Occludin and zonula occludens (ZO)-1; reduce the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) rate; regulate the relative abundance of intestinal microbiota, such as Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides and Coprococcus; and promote the production of microbial metabolites, such as propionic acid and acetic acid. Besides, the alteration in the intestinal microbiota composition and metabolites were significantly correlated. It could be concluded that propionic acid and acetic acid were the two dominant metabolites of Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, and Coprococcus, which contributed to the anti-obesity potential of PRS, metabolic syndrome alleviation, and intestinal barrier dysfunction.

Preparation and characterization of native and autoclaving-cooling treated Pinellia ternate starch and its impact on gut microbiota

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the structural and physicochemical properties of native Banxia starch (BXS) and autoclaving-cooling treated Banxia starch (CTBXS) and its related impacts on production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and human gut microbiota by in vitro fecal fermentation. BXS had semicircle to spherical granules, whereas CTBXS exhibited block-shape. According to XRD and TGA, BXS had a C-type crystalline pattern, while CTBXS had a B-type crystalline pattern. CTBXS had better thermal stability than BXS. In addition, BXS exhibited significantly higher solubility and swelling power than CTBXS, and CTBXS had higher content of SDS than BXS. Moreover, BXS and CTBXS could change the composition and abundance of gut microbiota, could also promote the production of SCFAs. This study is beneficial to well understand the in vitro digestion and fecal fermentation behaviors of BXS and CTBXS, and can be developed as a potential functional food with the aim of improving colonic health.

Effects of Banana Resistant Starch on the Biochemical Indexes and Intestinal Flora of Obese Rats Induced by a High-Fat Diet and Their Correlation Analysis

The effects of banana resistant starch (BRS) on obesity-related metabolic and intestinal flora were investigated in a high-fat diet-induced obesity model. After 6 weeks of intervention, the glucolipid metabolism index [blood glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C)], hormone index [leptin (LEP), insulin (INS), ghrelin, adiponectin (ADP), and thyroxine (T4)], and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses were performed for each group to explore the regulating effect of intestinal flora and the mechanism of weight loss in obese rats. The results showed that (1) BRS intervention significantly reduced the levels of GLU, TG, TC, LDL-C, LEP, and INS (p < 0.01) and increased the contents of ghrelin (p < 0.05) and ADP (p < 0.01). (2) BRS could improve the diversity of intestinal flora and regulate the overall structure of intestinal microorganisms, mainly by upregulating the Bacteroides/Firmicutes ratio and the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria and downregulating the relative abundances of Deferribacteres and Tenericutes (at the phylum level). BRS could inhibit the proliferation of Turicibacter, Romboutsia, and Oligella and increase the abundances of Bacteroides, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae (at the genus level). (3) Some significant correlations were observed between the gut microbiota and biomarkers. Turicibacter, Romboutsia, and Oligella were positively correlated with GLU, TG, TC, LEP, and INS and negatively correlated with ghrelin and ADP. Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Akkermansia were negatively correlated with GLU, TG, and TC. Conclusion: BRS had promising effects on weight loss, which could be associated with the improvement in host metabolism by regulating intestinal flora.

Effect of nicotinamide riboside on lipid metabolism and gut microflora-bile acid axis in alcohol-exposed mice

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most common complication of alcohol abuse, while we lack safe and effective treatment for ALD. This study aimed to explore the effects of nicotinamide riboside (NR) on lipid metabolism and gut microflora-bile acid axis in alcohol-exposed mice. NR significantly improved liver histopathological damage and abnormal liver function. NR as a provider of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) increased the NAD+/NADH ratio. Meanwhile, NR inhibited the activation of the protein phosphatase 1 signaling pathway, decreased the liver triglyceride and total bile acid levels, and reduced lipid accumulation. According to the results of gut microflora species analysis, NR intervention changed the microbial community structure at the phylum, family and genus levels, and the species abundances returned to a level similar to these of the normal control group. Besides, the results of high-performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry showed that NR intervention resulted in fecal bile acid levels tending to be normal with decreased chenodeoxycholic acid level and increased deoxycholic acid and hyocholic acid levels. Spearman's correlation analysis showed a correlation between gut microflora and bile acids. Therefore, NR supplementation has the potential to prevent ALD, and its mechanism may be related to regulating lipid metabolism disorders and the gut microflora-bile acid axis.

Production and Properties of Starch Citrates-Current Research

Starch modification by chemical reaction is widely used to improve the properties of native starch. Modified by citric acid, starch is characterized by specific properties resulting from the presence of citrate residues and as a result of cross-linking starch. The chemicals used for preparing starch citrates are safe for human health and the natural environment compared to the harsh chemicals used for conventional modifications. Starch citrates are traditionally produced by heating starch-citric acid mixtures in semi-dry conditions or by a heat moisture treatment. The conditions of the modification process (roasting temperature, heating time, citric acid dose) and the botanic source or genotype of starch determine the degree of substitution and the properties of the obtained preparations. Changes of starch properties occurring during esterification lead to reduced relative crystallinity, resulting in a decrease in the affinity for water, the gelatinization parameters, and the viscosity of starch citrate. However, one of the most important outcome of the modification is the formation of resistant starch (RS), which has increased resistance to the action of amylolytic enzymes. Currently, new methods for producing starch citrates with improved functional and rheological properties while maintaining the highest possible content of resistant starch are being sought. The article presents an overview of recent studies on the production, properties. And applicability of starch citrates with special attention paid to their role as preparations of resistant starch (RS). The use of citric acid for modification of starch is better for the technology process, while using cross-linking is better than simply using esterification.