Effect of extrusion on nutritional quality of maize and Lima bean flour blends

Maize flour (Zea mays) (M), Lima bean flour (Phaseolus lunatus) (B) and blends of these in proportions of 75M/25B, 50M/50B and 25M/75B (w/w) were extruded and their nutritional quality evaluated. Extrusion was done with a single screw extruder at 160 °C, 100 rpm and 15.5% moisture. In vitro protein digestibility (87%) was higher in the extruded products. Available lysine and resistant starch were highest in 50M/50B raw flour (59.5 g kg⁻¹ protein, 67.9 g kg⁻¹, respectively) but decreased after extrusion (45.5 g kg⁻¹ protein, 16.6 g kg⁻¹, respectively). The same treatment had the lowest available starch (561.6 g kg⁻¹ flour, 507.9 g kg⁻¹ extrudate). Total dietary fiber in the 50M/50B raw flour blend was 144 g kg⁻¹ versus 176 g kg⁻¹ in its extrudate. This was most noticeable for soluble dietary fiber, which increased from 10.6 g kg⁻¹ to 79.4 g kg⁻¹ after processing. Extrusion of blends is feasible up to a 50% bean inclusion level, which improves the nutritional value of the expanded product.Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nutraceutical Properties of Flour and Tortillas Made with an Ecological Nixtamalization Process

The traditional nixtamalization (TN) process, used for obtaining maize‐based products, negatively affects bioactive compounds because of its highly alkaline pH. Recently, an ecological nixtamalization (EN) process has been developed that retains the pericarp and maintains the nejayote (wastewater) within the acidic‐neutral range. This study examines the effect of pH on the nutraceutical compounds (NC) of maize, such as polyphenolics and anthocyanins (ANT), as well as the effect on the antioxidant capacity (AC). The highest concentration of total phenolics (TP) in the maize kernel was found in the black and yellow genotypes, the highest concentration of ANT in the black genotypes, and the highest concentration of AC in the red and white genotypes. In the flour, TP levels were between 206 to 400 mg GA/100 g, ANT levels were 141 to 4107 mg cyanidin‐3 glucoside/kg, and AC levels were 2544 to 3001 mg AA/kg. In tortillas, TP levels were 255 to 319 mg GA/100 g, ANT levels were 32 to 3420 mg cyanidin‐3 glucoside/kg, and AC levels were from 1513 to 2695 mg AA/kg. The reduced loss of soluble solids, the pH, and the formation of compounds with proteins and carbohydrates from the EN process positively affected NC retention.     

A comparison of the quality of whole corn tortillas made from instant corn flours by traditional or extrusion processing

Summary The nutritional quality (chemical and biological assays) was evaluated for tortillas made with two samples of instant corn flour prepared with 0.15 and 0.25% calcium hydroxide and processed either by extrusion or by the traditional process (nixtamalization). Both raw corn and the tortillas made from instant whole corn flours prepared by extrusion (TEP) had higher Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), and Net Protein Utilization (NPU) values ( p < 0.05) than tortillas prepared from traditional nixtamalization process. The Ca assimilation in the femurs bones of rats fed with raw corn, TEP (with 0.25% lime), and tortillas prepared from the nixtamal process, yielded lower values ( p < 0.05) as compared with those shown by the rats fed with the other treatments of TEP (with 0.15% lime). The Ca, Mg, and P contents and protein quality of the treatments used in the feed affected some physical characteristics rat femurs (length, diameter, weight, breaking force, volume and density). The force required to break the femurs of rats fed diets of raw corn, tortillas prepared using the traditional process and without added protein, was measured and compared with the force required to break the femurs of rats fed with diets contain casein and TEP with either 0.15 and 0 0.25% lime. Those animals assimilating the lowest content of lime had the weakest femurs.     

Wheat bread enrichment with hard-to-cook bean extruded flours: nutritional and acceptance evaluation

This study describes the enrichment of wheat bread with hard-to-cook black bean (BBEF) and cowpea (CEF) extruded flours. Breads containing 10% BBEF and 10% CEF presented increase of, respectively, 9% and 10% in protein content. In addition the fiber content was 2.6 higher in 10% BBEF bread and 2.2 higher in 10% CEF bread in comparison with standard bread. Despite protein and fiber increasing, the energetic value of substituted breads remained unchanged. An increase in the substitution to 15% resulted in decrease of specific volume and density of the breads. Results of sensory analysis to 10% BBEF bread presented overall appearance scores higher than standard bread and overall flavor acceptance very similar to standard. A total of 10% CEF bread presented similar appearance to those standard bread and 73% overall flavor acceptance. It is interesting to point out that distribution of 10% CEF bread overall flavor scores showed 3 distinct levels of consumer's sensibility. Practical Application: Breads enriched with extruded bean flours presented fiber and protein content improved and a very good consumer's acceptance. These results indicate that extruded bean flours constitute ingredients nutritionally and economically viable for technological application in breads elaboration, conferring improvement of nutritional characteristics without changing sensory attributes.     

Effects of protein removal on the physicochemical properties of waxy maize flours

The effects of protein removal on the physicochemical properties of waxy maize flours were investigated. Protein removal caused significant reduction in the P and S contents of starches. Starch granules had a smoother surface and low protein content (<6 g/kg) compared with the flours. Both flours and starches had a typical A‐type X‐ray diffraction pattern, with a crystallinity range of 29.8–32.2% and 27.7–30.6%, respectively. Flours had higher swelling power and solubility, and lower light transmittance than starches. The gelatinization enthalpy and onset temperature of starches were higher compared with those of their counterpart flours. The retrogradation of flours was significantly greater compared with that of starches. Protein removal increased the peak viscosity, trough viscosity, final viscosity, and breakdown, whereas it decreased the setback and pasting temperature. Genotypic differences in those maize were related to the physicochemical characteristics of the flours and starches.     

The optimization of the extrusion process when using maize flour with a modified amino acid profile for making tortillas

Maize with a modified amino acid profile, i.e. greater amounts of lysine and tryptophan than normal, is known as ‘quality protein maize’ (QPM). The objective of this work was to find the best combination of extrusion process variables to produce QPM flour for making tortillas. QPM grits were mixed with lime and water and had a moisture content of 28%. The single screw extruder operation conditions were selected from factorial combination of three process variables: extrusion temperature (ET, 70–100 °C), lime concentration (LC, 0.1–0.3% of the maize weight) and screw velocity (SV, 80–250 rpm). Response surface methodology was used as an optimization technique. In vitro protein digestibility (PD); total colour difference (ΔE) of the flours, and tortilla puffing (TP) were chosen as response variables. A graphical method was used to obtain maximum PD, TP and minimum ΔE. The optimum combination of process variables was: ET = 85 °C/LC = 0.21%(w/w)/SV = 240 rpm. Tortillas from QPM flour had similar chemical composition, physicochemical and sensory properties to tortillas from commercial nixtamalized maize flour; however, the former had the highest (P ≤ 0.05) available lysine content and were therefore better nutritionally.     

Nixtamalised flour and tortillas from transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) expressing amarantin: Technological and nutritional properties

Nixtamalised flour from transgenic maize (genetically modified maize with the cDNA of amarantin) and its tortillas were evaluated for some technological and nutritional properties and compared to the commercial brand MASECA^™. Nixtamalised transgenic maize flour (NTMF) showed higher protein content, total colour difference, pH, water solubility index, essential amino acids content and lower Hunter “L” value, water absorption index, resistant starch and retrograded resistant starch than MASECA^™ flour. Tortillas from NTMF had higher protein content (12.64% vs 8.93%, db), essential amino acids content and calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER; 2.05 vs 1.04) than tortillas from MASECA^™. Tortillas from both nixtamalised transgenic maize and MASECA^™ flours showed similar sensory properties (puffing and acceptability). The use of transgenic maize for flour and tortilla preparation may have a positive impact on the nutritional status of people from countries where maize is the basic staple food.     

Recovery of lysine and tryptophan from fortified nixtamalized cornflour and tortillas

Summary It has been shown, by sensory panels and tests on colour changes, that tortillas, enriched by nixtamalized cornflour, are acceptable for consumption and could supply up to 83% of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recommended levels of lysine and tryptophan. We studied recovery of lysine and tryptophan which had been used to fortify nixtamalized cornflour and tortillas, which had been stored for 2 months at an ambient temperature of 30 °C. Three different levels of fortification of lysine and tryptophan, 83, 100 and 150% of the FAO recommended amounts, were used. Cornflour enriched with lysine and tryptophan did not lose important amounts of these amino acids after storage for up to 2 months at room temperature. Perhaps this was caused by the process of nixtamalization, which removed many reactive low molecular compounds normally present in corn and which could react with the free amino acids added for enrichment.     

Effect of irradiation,with and without cooking of maize and kidney bean flours,on porridge viscosity and in vitro starch digestibility

African traditional weaning foods are usually prepared from starchy flours at a total solids content of 50–100 g l^?1, giving a viscosity of 1000–3000 cP which is consumable by infants. These porridges have very low energy and nutrient densities. Processing to reduce the porridge viscosity and improve the energy and nutrient density may help in solving this problem. Maize, kidney bean and their 70:30 composite flours were irradiated at 0–10 kGy at room temperature. Irradiation greatly reduced the viscosity of porridges, probably by starch depolymerisation. Irradiation improved the starch digestibility of raw bean flours, possibly either by inhibiting α‐amylase inhibitors or by weakening the thick cell walls that enclose the starch granules, thus improving accessibility to enzymes. However, in raw maize, cooked maize and cooked bean flours there was maximum starch digestibility at a dose of 2.5 kGy, followed by small but significant decreases in starch digestibility at higher doses, more so in maize than in bean flours. The decrease in digestibility could be due to the formation of inhibitors of amylolytic enzymes (Maillard reactions products) or to the formation of resistant starch. Irradiation doses required to increase the total solids content of traditional maize‐ and/or bean‐based weaning porridges to at least 200 g l^?1 do not compromise starch digestibility significantly. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physicochemical and rheological characteristics of commercial nixtamalised Mexican maize flours for tortillas

Three commercial nixtamalised Mexican maize flours (CNMFs) designated HI‐A, HI‐B and HI‐C were evaluated in this work. For each brand, four samples corresponding to four consecutive months of production were evaluated. Tortillas prepared by the traditional process of nixtamalisation were used as the control. The maize flours and their respective tortillas showed variations between samples in their physical, chemical and rheological parameters. The three commercial maize flours incorporated additives and preservatives. The moisture content, colour, pH, subjective water absorption capacity, water solubility index, water absorption index and swelling capacity of flours showed strong differences between the three CNMFs with respect to the chemical analysis. Important differences in the protein, calcium and amylose contents were observed. Tortillas from CNMFs had a blander maize flavour, less desirable texture and staled more rapidly than traditional tortillas. Some modifications are required in the current Official Mexican Quality Standard, principally in the appropriate selection of additives and levels used in the preparation of CNMFs. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Thermo‐physical properties of composite bread dough with maize and cassava flours

Composite wheat–cassava and wheat–maize flours were produced in ratio 100:0. 60:40, 50:50, 40:60 and 0:100 respectively. Thermo‐physical properties of bread dough were determined. For wheat –cassava composite bread dough, moisture content ranged between 44.02 ± 2.04 to 51.31 ± 2.99% dry basis (db), density (1035.2 ± 20.4 to 975.6 ± 12.6 kg m^?3), specific heat capacity (2.51 ± 0.61 to 3.01 ± 0.42 kJ kg^?1 K) and thermal conductivity (0.362 ± 0.13 to 0.473 ± 0.12 W mK^?1). While wheat–maize mixture gave 44.14 ± 1.94 to 45.09 ± 1.26%(db) of moisture content, 981.4 ± 16.3–960.4 ± 22.5 kg m^?3 density, 1.77 ± 0.17–2.61 ± 0.63 kJ kg^?1 K specific heat capacity and 0.36 ± 0.07–0.39 ± 0.02 W mK^?1 thermal conductivity. Effects of substitutions was significant on moisture content and thermal conductivity of dough while non significant influence was recorded on density and specific heat capacity at P < 0.05.     

Estimation of the nutritional parameters of various types of wheat flours using fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy to predict the nutritional parameters of twenty‐six commercially available wheat flours from different vendors. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to clearly identify the correlations among different types of flours. A partial least square regression (PLSR) model gives a good prediction for moisture, fat and carbohydrates using cross‐validation, with a R² of 0.86, 0.88 and 0.89 respectively. However, the protein, sucrose and salt contents showed little correlation in PLSR. Locally weighted regression (LWR) provides a significant improvement in the prediction of all of the nutritional parameters. The error decreases with an increasing R² to 0.96, 0.93, 0.99, 0.98, 0.99, 0.88, 0.95 and 0.99 for the energetic value, protein, fat, moisture, carbohydrate, sucrose, salt and saturated fatty acid contents respectively, for different wheat flours. Hence, fluorescence, which is a non‐invasive and rapid method, can be used to evaluate the nutritional parameters of different types of wheat flours.     

Nutritional assessment of transgenic lysine‐rich maize compared with conventional quality protein maize

BACKGROUND: The gene sb401 encoding a lysine‐rich protein has been successfully integrated into the genome of maize (Zea mays), its expression showing as increased levels of lysine and total protein in maize seeds. As part of a nutritional assessment of transgenic maize, nutritional composition, especially unintended changes in key nutrients such as proximates, amino acids, minerals and vitamins as well as in antinutrient (phytate phosphorus), and protein nutritional quality were compared between transgenic maize (inbred line 642 and hybrid line Y642) and conventional quality protein maize (QPM) Nongda 108. RESULTS: The contents of total protein, lysine, some other amino acids, several minerals and vitamin B₂ in transgenic inbred line 642 and hybrid line Y642 were significantly higher than those in conventional QPM. Water‐soluble protein and G2‐glutelin were significantly promoted in transgenic maize Y642. CONCLUSION: Insertion of the lysine‐rich sb401 gene increased the total protein and lysine content of transgenic maize varieties, leading to an improved amino acid score and therefore an improvement in the nutritive value of maize. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

蛋清蛋白添加对籼米-绿豆粉粉质特性及挤压米粉丝品质特性的影响

将籼米粉、绿豆粉和蛋清蛋白粉按照一定的比例复配,开发高纤维含量的杂粮米粉丝。研究了绿豆和蛋清蛋白的添加对米粉糊化特性、流变特性以及挤压米粉丝微观结构、蒸煮特性和质构等品质特性的影响。结果显示:添加一定量的绿豆粉和蛋清蛋白粉后,混合粉的峰值黏度、最低黏度、最终黏度、回生值、弹性模量、黏性模量均逐渐下降。随着绿豆粉的添加(25%,50%),米粉的蒸煮时间、断条率、蒸煮损失和吸水率均上升,硬度降低,表明米粉的品质显著降低,由扫描电镜图可以发现,加了绿豆粉之后米粉截面变得越来越粗糙,裂纹和孔洞明显增多。但当加入7.5%的蛋清蛋白后,米粉的蒸煮时间、蒸煮损失和断条率均下降,质构特性有一定程度的改善,表明蛋清蛋白良好的凝胶特性有助于提升高纤维含量挤压米粉丝的品质。     

Effects of fertilization and other agronomic measures on nutritional quality of crops

Crops, as the basic source of essential substances and nutrients, do not always contain sufficient amounts of these essential nutrients to meet dietary requirements. In this review paper, we discussed the effects of fertilization and other agronomic measures on the nutritional quality of cereal, oilseed and protein crops, tuber plants and vegetables. Research indicates that application of N, P, K and S fertilizers generally increases crop yield as well as nutritional quality. For example, fertilizer increased protein concentration in cereals and pulses, oil concentration in oilseed crops, starch concentration in tubers, and concentration of essential amino acids and vitamins in vegetables. However, excessive fertilizer application, especially N fertilizer, can result in undesirable changes such as increases in nitrate, titratable acidity and acid to sugar ratio, while decreasing the concentration of vitamin C, soluble sugar, soluble solids, and Mg and Ca in some crops. Other agronomic measures, such as tillage and crop rotation, organic farming, soil moisture management, and crop breeding and genetic engineering can also have a large effect on food crop quality, though the potential benefits of these measures for improving crop quality has not been fully exploited. Research literature on this subject suggests that more information is needed in order to achieve an increase in the concentration of essential microelements, prevent accumulation of toxic levels of elements such as Cu, Mo, Zn, Ni, Se and nitrate, and other dangerous or toxic substances and elements in crops. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

不同加工方式对全豆蛋糕品质和营养价值的影响

采用烤箱烘烤和蒸锅蒸制2种不同加工方式分别制作全豆蛋糕,并对其感官性状和营养成分进行比较分析。结果显示:与蒸锅蒸制的全豆蛋糕相比,烤箱烘烤的全豆蛋糕感官评分更高;在营养成分方面,烘烤的蛋糕蛋白质、脂肪、碳水化合物、维生素A、维生素B2的含量以及能量均较高,但总膳食纤维和钙的含量却较低;亚麻籽油健康且稳定,可作为全豆蛋糕的烹调用油。2种加工方式各有优缺点,建议根据实际需求进行选择。     

不同烹饪贮藏条件对营养配餐品质和安全性的影响

随着人们生活水平的提高以及学习与工作节奏的加快,越来越多的人们选择已经搭配好的营养餐食,以便节约时间,将更多精力投入到工作与学习中。针对不同烹饪贮藏条件对营养配餐品质与安全性的影响展开研究,以期为营养配餐未来发展提供宝贵的经验。