Understanding the Structure, Thermal, Pasting, and Rheological Properties of Potato and Pea Starches Affected by Annealing Using Plasma-Activated Water

Effect of Oat Beta-Glucan on Physicochemical Properties and Digestibility of Fava Bean Starch

The current research examined the impact of different concentrations of oat beta-glucan (OG) on the in vitro digestibility of fava bean starch (FS). Our pasting analysis demonstrated that OG effectively decreased the viscosity and regrowth of FS, suppressing its in situ regrowth while enhancing the in vitro pasting temperature. Moreover, OG markedly diminished amylose leaching and minimized the particle size of the pasted starch. Rheological and textural evaluations demonstrated that OG markedly diminished the viscoelasticity of the starch and softened the gel strength of the composite system. Structural analysis revealed that hydrogen bonding is the primary interaction in the FS-OG system, indicating that OG interacts with amylose through hydrogen bonding, thereby delaying starch pasting and enhancing the gelatinization characteristics of FS gels. Notably, the incorporation of OG resulted in a reduction in the levels of rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) in FS, accompanied by a notable increase in resistant starch (RS) content, from 21.30% to 31.82%. This study offers crucial insights for the application of OG in starch-based functional foods.

A Comprehensive Review of Pea (Pisum sativum L.): Chemical Composition, Processing, Health Benefits, and Food Applications

Pisum sativum L., commonly referred to as dry, green, or field pea, is one of the most common legumes that is popular and economically important. Due to its richness in a variety of nutritional and bioactive ingredients, the consumption of pea has been suggested to be associated with a wide range of health benefits, and there has been increasing focus on its potential as a functional food. However, there have been limited literature reviews concerning the bioactive compounds, health-promoting effects, and potential applications of pea up to now. This review, therefore, summarizes the literature from the last ten years regarding the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, processing, health benefits, and potential applications of pea. Whole peas are rich in macronutrients, including proteins, starches, dietary fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides. In addition, polyphenols, especially flavonoids and phenolic acids, are important bioactive ingredients that are mainly distributed in the pea coats. Anti-nutritional factors, such as phytic acid, lectin, and trypsin inhibitors, may hinder nutrient absorption. Whole pea seeds can be processed by different techniques such as drying, milling, soaking, and cooking to improve their functional properties. In addition, physicochemical and functional properties of pea starches and pea proteins can be improved by chemical, physical, enzymatic, and combined modification methods. Owing to the multiple bioactive ingredients in peas, the pea and its products exhibit various health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-renal fibrosis, and regulation of metabolic syndrome effects. Peas have been processed into various products such as pea beverages, germinated pea products, pea flour-incorporated products, pea-based meat alternatives, and encapsulation and packing materials. Furthermore, recommendations are also provided on how to better utilize peas to promote their development as a sustainable and functional grain. Pea and its components can be further developed into more valuable and nutritious products.

Effect of annealing using plasma-activated water on the structure and properties of wheat flour

In this study, wheat flour (WF) was modified by annealing (ANN) using plasma-activated water (PAW) for the first time. Compared with WF and DW-WF, the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle-size analysis showed that the granule structure of wheat starch in PAW-WF was slightly damaged, and the particle size of PAW-WF was significantly reduced. The results of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transforming infrared spectroscopy indicated that PAW-ANN could reduce the long-range and short-range order degrees of wheat starch and change the secondary structure of the protein in WF, in which the content of random coils and α-helices was significantly increased. In addition, the analysis of solubility, viscosity, and dynamic rheological properties showed that PAW-ANN improved the solubility and gel properties of WF and decreased its viscosity properties and short-term regeneration. PAW-ANN, as a green modification technology, has the potential for further application in WF modification, as well as in the production of flour products.

Influence of Starch on the Structure–Properties Relationship in Polyethylene Glycol/Polycaprolactone Diol Polyurethanes

Improvements in the antithrombogenicity activity of biomaterials for cardiovascular applications are necessary to meet the demand for vascular grafts in the world. Zwitterionic compounds tend to be used due to their anti-fouling properties, which reduce platelet adhesions and protein absorptions. Therefore, in this research, potato starch (AL-N) and zwitterionic starch (AL-Z) (obtained by Williamson etherification) were included as fillers in polyurethane (PU) matrices from polycaprolactone diol (PCL), polyethylene glycol (PEG), pentaerythritol (PE) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) in order to study their effect in terms of their physicochemical, mechanical and thermal properties. We conducted our evaluation using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), contact angle analysis, swelling behavior, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile/strain analysis, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), dynamic mechanic analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that AL-N and AL-Z modified these properties, where AL-N improved tensile strength, and AL-Z increased the hydrophilicity of polyurethanes matrices; additionally, AL-N had interactions with the soft segments, and AL-Z had interactions with the hard segments. Finally, both fillers reduced the degree of crystallinity and did not affect the thermal stability of polyurethanes.

Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour Modified by Plasma-Activated Water and Heat Moisture Treatment and in vitro Digestibility of Steamed Bread

The study investigated the effects of plasma-activated water (PAW) and heat moisture treatment (HMT) on the rheological properties of wheat flour and the in vitro digestibility of steamed bread partially replaced by the modified wheat flour. After HMT, the gelatinization temperature of wheat flour increased and the gelatinization enthalpy reduced. The solubility and swelling power of wheat flour increased after the heat-moisture treatment. The solubility of modified flour after PAW-HMT treatment was lower than that of distilled water (DW)-HMT at the same temperature. The wheat flour with HMT had higher storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G“), and had better ductility and deformability. Common wheat flour was partially replaced by modified flour to make steamed bread. The results indicated that the volume, height, diameter and specific volume of steamed bread were significantly decreased with the addition of HMT flour. However, the hardness, viscosity and chewiness increased significantly. The resistant starch content of steamed bread with the modified wheat flour increased. The results provide new insights for the development of new functional steamed bread.