Influence of atmospheric pressure plasma jet on the structure of microcrystalline starch with different relative crystallinity

Changes in structure, physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of quinoa starch during heat moisture treatment with hydrogen-infused and plasma-activated waters

In this study, comparative effect of heat moisture treatment (HMT) with distilled, hydrogen-infused and plasma-activated waters on the structure, physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of quinoa starch (QS) was investigated. To our knowledge, this study is the first to apply hydrogen-infused water to starch modification. The surface of HMT-modified samples was much rougher than that of native QS. HMT did not change the typical "A"-type X-ray diffraction pattern of QS but it increased its relative crystallinity. Meanwhile, amylose content, gelatinization temperature and water absorption capacity of QS significantly increased, whereas viscosity and swelling power markedly decreased. The rapidly digestible starch level of HMT-treated samples was significantly lower than that of native QS, and the resistant starch content markedly increased. These alterations were dependent on treatment moisture level. Furthermore, compared to distilled water, the HMT with hydrogen-infused and plasma-activated waters induced much more extensive effect on above properties, and the sample treated with plasma-activated water had the highest extent due to the acidic or alkaline environment and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. These results identified that the combination of HMT with hydrogen-infused or plasma-activated water was a novel strategy to improve the thermal stability and functionality of quinoa starch.

Structural transformation and oil absorption of starches with different crystal types during frying

The changes in the structure and oil absorption characteristics of three different crystalline starches under different initial moisture levels (20-50%) during frying were investigated. The granule morphology of potato starch was more severely disrupted during frying, especially under 40% moisture or higher. At 50% moisture, the crystallinity of potato starch decreased by 29.7% and the R₁ value decreased by 0.17. The effect of frying treatment on the structural properties of wheat starch and pea bean starch was less than that of potato starch. At 30% moisture, the ΔH values for wheat starch, potato starch, and pea bean starch were 7.8, 5.5, and 8.1 J/g respectively. The above results showed that B-type potato starch was more susceptible to the effects during frying than A-type wheat and C-type pea bean starch, which led to more oil absorption of B-type potato starch than A-type wheat or C-type pea bean starch.

Cold plasma technologies: Their effect on starch properties and industrial scale-up for starchmodification

Native starches have limited applications in the food industry due to their unreactive and insoluble nature. Cold plasma technology, including plasma-activated water (PAW), has been explored to modify starches to enhance their functional, thermal, molecular, morphological, and physicochemical properties. Atmospheric cold plasma and low-pressure plasma systems have been used to alter starches and have proven successful. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the different cold plasma setups employed for starch modifications. The effect of cold plasma technology application on starch characteristics is summarized. We also discussed the potential of plasma-activated water as a novel alternative for starch modification. This review provides information needed for the industrial scale-up of cold plasma technologies as an eco-friendly method of starch modification.

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Cold plasma technology could be an effective, sustainable alternative for starch modification.

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The extent of modification of starches from different botanical sources depends on the type of cold plasma technology used.

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For mainstream adoption of cold plasma modified starches, research on safety and consumer perception must be conducted.

Nonthermal physical modification of starch: An overview of recent research into structure and property alterations

To tailor the properties and enhance the applicability of starch, various ways of starch modification have been practiced. Among them, physical modification methods (micronization, nonthermal plasma, high-pressure, ultrasonication, pulsed electric field, and γ-irradiation) are highly potential for starch modification considering its safety, environmentally friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, without generating chemical wastes. Thus, this article provides an overview of the recent advances in nonthermal physical modification of starch and summarizes the resulting changes in the multi-level structures and physicochemical properties. While the effect of these techniques highly depends on starch type and treatment condition, they generally lead to the destruction of starch granules, the degradation of molecules, decreases in crystallinity, gelatinization temperatures, and viscosity, increases in solubility and swelling power, and an increase or decrease in digestibility, to different extents. The advantages and shortcomings of these techniques in starch processing are compared, and the knowledge gap in this area is commented on.

Atmospheric pressure plasma jet pretreatment to facilitate cassava starch modification with octenyl succinic anhydride

Cassava starch (CS) was pretreated with atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), followed by esterification with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA). This study was the first report investigating the effect of APPJ on CS modification with OSA. Results showed that APPJ pretreatment could change the morphological characteristics and crystallinity of CS. Consequently, the degree of substitution and reaction efficiency significantly improved compared with the unpretreated CS (P < 0.05). In Confocal laser scanning microscopy, the fluorescence intensity of OSA-modified CS pretreated with APPJ for 10 min and 15 min was higher than those pretreated with APPJ for 1, 3, and 5 min. The onset temperature and enthalpy (ΔH) of native starch decreased after APPJ pretreatment and further decreased by OSA modification. APPJ-OSA-CS also showed better emulsion stability and emulsion activity. This study demonstrated that APPJ could be used as a novel approach to facilitate starch modification with OSA.

Emerging cold plasma treatment on rice grains: A mini review

Future demand of rice is projected to increase with the increase of global population. However, the presence of bacteria, insects, and fungi has resulted in various changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of rice grain. To make it worse, the overuse of post-harvest chemicals (fungicide and pesticide) has caused possible risks to human health through either occupational or non-occupational exposure. For the last few years, cold plasma has been developed as an alternative non-thermal emerging technology for rice grains treatment due to its ability to inactivate or decontaminate pathogens without causing thermal damage and free of any harmful residues. Therefore, this review describes the operational mechanism of cold plasma treatment technology on rice grains, existing reactor system designs, and parameters influenced by the treatment technology (reactor design parameters and treatment process parameters). Possible advanced investigation on future reactor design modification as well as standard operating range of influenced parameters were suggested for improved efficiency and effectiveness of cold plasma treatment.

Green Design of Novel Starch-Based Packaging Materials Sustaining Human and Environmental Health

A critical overview of current approaches to the development of starch-containing packaging, integrating the principles of green chemistry (GC), green technology (GT) and green nanotechnology (GN) with those of green packaging (GP) to produce materials important for both us and the planet is given. First, as a relationship between GP and GC, the benefits of natural bioactive compounds are analyzed and the state-of-the-art is updated in terms of the starch packaging incorporating green chemicals that normally help us to maintain health, are environmentally friendly and are obtained via GC. Newer approaches are identified, such as the incorporation of vitamins or minerals into films and coatings. Second, the relationship between GP and GT is assessed by analyzing the influence on starch films of green physical treatments such as UV, electron beam or gamma irradiation, and plasma; emerging research areas are proposed, such as the use of cold atmospheric plasma for the production of films. Thirdly, the approaches on how GN can be used successfully to improve the mechanical properties and bioactivity of packaging are summarized; current trends are identified, such as a green synthesis of bionanocomposites containing phytosynthesized metal nanoparticles. Last but not least, bioinspiration ideas for the design of the future green packaging containing starch are presented.

Effects of atmospheric pressure plasma jet on the physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of flaxseed protein

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) on the physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of flaxseed protein following APPJ treatment (0 to 240 s). The results showed that the pH value continuously dropped with the minimum value of 3.45 ± 0.15 after 240 s of APPJ treatment (-61.7%, P < 0.05). The relative protein solubility significantly declined after 15 s of APPJ treatment (-43.1%, P < 0.05), which was accompanied by the evident increase in mean particle size of flaxseed protein in aqueous solution (+157%, P < 0.05). Moreover, the surface hydrophobicity and contents of disulfide bonds gradually raised when the APPJ exposure time extended from 30 to 240 s. Notably, the foaming, emulsifying, and in vitro antioxidant properties of flaxseed protein were significantly improved following short time of APPJ treatment (5 to 15 s), which was paralleled with the changes of spatial conformation, mild protein oxidation, as well as the release of phenolic acids and flavonoids from naturally occurring protein-phenolic complex. Our findings elucidated that APPJ may be considered as an effective strategy to improve the functionality and antioxidant activities of flaxseed protein. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: We had evaluated the effect of APPJ treatment on the physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of flaxseed protein, which was conducive to tailor flaxseed protein with the optimal techno-functionality and antioxidant activities as a potential nano-delivery vehicle.