A Review of the Impact of Starch on the Quality of Wheat-Based Noodles and Pasta: From the View of Starch Structural and Functional Properties and Interaction with Gluten

Starch, as a primary component of wheat, plays a crucial role in determining the quality of noodles and pasta. A deep understanding of the impact of starch on the quality of noodles and pasta is fundamentally important for the industrial progression of these products. The starch structure exerts an influence on the quality of noodles and pasta by affecting its functional attributes and the interaction of starch-gluten proteins. The effects of starch structure (amylopectin structure, amylose content, granules size, damaged starch content) on the quality of noodles and pasta is discussed. The relationship between the functional properties of starch, particularly its swelling power and pasting properties, and the texture of noodles and pasta is discussed. It is important to note that the functional properties of starch can be modified during the processing of noodles and pasta, potentially impacting the quality of the end product, However, this aspect is often overlooked. Additionally, the interaction between starch and gluten is addressed in relation to its impact on the quality of noodles and pasta. Finally, the application of exogenous starch in improving the quality of noodles and pasta is highlighted.

Impact of Starch Concentration on the Pasting and Rheological Properties of Gluten-Free Gels. Effects of Amylose Content and Thermal and Hydration Properties

The pasting and rheological properties of starch gels from different botanical origins have been widely used to evaluate the application of these starches in pharmaceutical and food products. However, the ways in which these properties are modified by starch concentration and their dependence on amylose content and thermal and hydration properties have not been adequately established so far. An exhaustive study of the pasting and rheological properties of starch gels (maize and rice (normal and waxy in both cases), wheat, potato, and tapioca) at concentrations of 6.4, 7.8, 9.2, 10.6, and 11.9 g/100 g was performed. The results were evaluated in terms of a potential equation fit between each parameter and each gel concentration. The parameters determined for the gels at the studied concentrations were correlated with the hydration properties and thermal properties by applying principal component analysis (PCA). Wheat starch, followed by normal maize and normal rice starches, presented a greater capacity to modulate their gels' pasting and viscoelastic properties via their concentration in water. On the contrary, the characteristics of waxy rice and maize, potato, and tapioca starches were barely modified by concentration in pasting assays, but the gels of potato and tapioca showed noticeable changes in their viscoelastic properties as functions of concentration. In the PCA plot, the non-waxy cereal samples (wheat, normal maize, and normal rice) were located close to each other. Wheat starch gels were the most dispersed on the graph, which is consistent with the high dependence on the concentration of the gel shown in most of the studied parameters. The waxy starches had close positions not too distant from those of the tapioca and potato samples and with little influence from amylose concentration. The potato and tapioca samples were close to the vectors of the crossover point in rheology and peak viscosity in their pasting properties. The knowledge gained from this work allows a better understanding of the effects of starch concentration on food formulations.

Recent Advances in the Study of Wheat Protein and Other Food Components Affecting the Gluten Network and the Properties of Noodles

Upon hydrating and mixing wheat flour, wheat protein forms a network that strongly affects the structure and physicochemical properties of dough, thus affecting the properties of noodles. Different approaches have been taken to alter the gluten network structure in order to control the dough properties. In the current review, we summarize the structure and function of wheat protein, including glutenin and gliadin, and describe food components that may affect noodle quality by interacting with wheat protein. In fact, the ratio of glutenin to gliadin is closely related to the viscosity of dough, and disulfide bonds also contribute to the gluten network formation. Meanwhile, wheat protein coexists with starch and sugar in wheat dough, and thus the nature of starch may highly influence gluten formation as well. Salts, alkali, enzymes and powdered plant food can be added during dough processing to regulate the extensional properties of wheat noodles, obtaining noodles of high quality, with improved sensory and storage properties. This review describes specific methods to reinforce the wheat protein network and provides a reference for improving noodle quality.

Detection of Sodium Formaldehyde Sulfoxylate, Aluminum, and Borate Compounds in Bread and Pasta Products Consumed by Residents in Jilin Province, China

ABSTRACT

Food additives are widespread in the human diet; however, their excessive intake can have an impact on the quality of health. This study evaluated food additives in bread and pasta products consumed by residents in various regions of Jilin Province, People's Republic of China, from 2019 to 2021. We collected samples of bread and six types of pasta products from farmers' markets and morning markets and used high-performance liquid chromatography, UV-visible spectrophotometry, and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry to detect the content of the following food additives: sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, aluminum, and borate compounds. For 836 samples in total, we detected the presence of sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, aluminum, and borate compounds in excess rates reaching 3.5, 10, and 4.7%, respectively. Aluminum in fried breadsticks exceeded the standard by 40%. The results of this study can be used to assess the overall pass rate of bread and pasta products sold in Jilin Province and support the detection of possible food safety problems.

HIGHLIGHTS

Effects of the size distribution of wheat starch on noodles with and without gluten

To understand the effects of A- and B-type wheat starch on noodle quality, two noodle models with (Model 1) and without (Model 2) gluten were constructed with five different ratios of A- to B-granules (100A-0B, 75A-25B, 50A-50B, 25A-75B, and 0A-100B). With increasing proportions of B-granules, the noodle structures of Models 1 and 2 became increasingly dense. The cooking loss, water absorption, proportion of free water, chewiness, cohesiveness and resilience decreased from 35.64 to 15.49%, 240.92 to 228.58%, 88.89 to 85.98%, 21.93 to 13.24 N, 0.77 to 0.56, and 0.61 to 0.36, respectively, with the increased proportion of B-granules in Model 2, while those parameters normally presented "V" or inverted "V" trends in Model 1. Compared to their counterparts in Model 2, gluten networks with 25-50% B-granules had an outstanding ability to increase the percentage of tightly bound water, hardness, chewiness and springiness by 4.50%, 24.07 N, 25.05 N, and 0.17 at most and reduce the proportion of free water and water absorption by 5.56 and 73.70% at most, respectively. The results indicated that the effect of the gluten network on noodle qualities may partially depend on its structure, which is shaped by the granule size distribution. Compared to the other characteristics of noodles, the springiness was influenced by a more complicated mechanism involving A- and B-granules in Model 2, while it was strongly affected by the gluten network under the given experimental conditions in Model 1.

Physicochemical characteristics of green banana flour and its use in the development of konjac-green banana noodles

Asian noodles typically have high glycemic index, and an unbalanced diet heavily laden with carbohydrates has been linked to weight gain and obesity. Shirataki noodles from Japan is made from konjac glucomannan (KGM) and water and is widely known for its multiple health benefits and ability to promote satiety. However, it imparts negligible nutritional value due to its low energy content. In this study, the feasibility of making low calorie, gluten-free Shirataki noodles with improved nutritional value was shown by adding green banana flour (GBF), an underutilized subproduct of low commercial value and significance in the food industry. The optimal KGM-GBF noodles (with 6% w/w KGM, 35% w/w GBF) had 27% lower total energy content, 13% lower carbohydrate content, 5.4% higher fiber content, 2% higher ash content, and 80% hardness (as measured by texture profile analysis) when compared to commercial yellow alkaline wheat noodles. Multiple regression analysis showed that KGM level was a more influential factor than GBF level on the hardness of cooked KGM-GBF noodles (P < 0.01). The compatibility of GBF with KGM in noodle making lay in GBF's high gelatinizing and pasting temperatures, which allowed optimal KGM hydration during dough formation to develop the primary network structure in the noodles. Through this study, the potential of GBF as a functional food ingredient in product processing and nutrition enhancement was demonstrated. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The addition of green banana flour can improve the nutritional value and sensorial properties of konjac (Shirataki) noodles. This offers a gluten-free and low glycemic index alternative to wheat and starch noodles currently available commercially. A novel method of noodle-making to create KGM noodles, without the use of high alkalinity, was developed.

Proteomic analysis of the impacts of powdery mildew on wheat grain

Powdery mildew of wheat is one of the major foliar diseases, causing significant yield loss and flour quality change. In this study, grain protein and starch response to powdery mildew infection were investigated. Total protein, glutenin and gliadin exhibited a greater increase in grains from infected wheat, while the content of total starch and amylopectin was decreased. Comparative proteomic analysis demonstrated that the overabundant protein synthesis-related proteins might facilitate the accumulation of storage proteins in grains from infected plants. The significant increase in triticin, serpin and HMW-GS in grains from infected wheat might relate to the superior gluten quality. In addition, overabundant carbohydrate metabolism-related proteins in grains from infected wheat were conducive to the depletion of starch, whereas the decreased abundance of ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase might be related to the deficiency of starch synthesis. These results provide a deeper understanding on the change of wheat quality under powdery mildew infection.