The effects of heat–moisture treatment of rice grains before parboiling on viscosity profile and physicochemical properties

The effects of heat–moisture treatment (HMT) (120 °C for 10, 30 and 60 min) on paddy rice grains before parboiling, on head rice yield (HRY), pasting and thermal properties, and colour and cooking characteristics of parboiled rice were studied. The results indicated that the HMT performed intensifies the changes in grains after parboiling, impacting pasting and thermal properties, which results in rice kernels with yellowish colouration and greater cooking time. HMT increased the temperatures of gelatinisation, with increasing HMT time from 10 to 60 min and reduced the gelatinisation enthalpy. HMT also affected the pasting properties of rice flours, reducing setback and viscosity and increased their stability to heat and mechanical agitation. The HMT performed in rice grains before the parboiling process with 60 min of the treatment decreased the HRY and increased the level of metabolic defects only in the treatment with 60 min.     

Resistant starch and thermal,morphological and textural properties of heat‐moisture treated rice starches with high‐, medium‐ and low‐amylose content

This study investigated the effects of heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) on the resistant starch content and thermal, morphological, and textural properties of rice starches with high‐, medium‐ and low‐amylose content. The starches were adjusted to 15, 20 and 25% moisture levels and heated at 110°C for 1 h. The HMT increased the resistant starch content in all of the rice starches. HMT increased the onset temperature and the gelatinisation temperature range (T_finish–T_onset) and decreased the enthalpy of gelatinisation of rice starches with different amylose contents. This reduction increased with the increase in the moisture content of HMT. The morphology of rice starch granules was altered with the HMT; the granules presented more agglomerated surface. The HMT affected the textural parameters of rice starches; the high‐ and low‐amylose rice starches subjected to 15 and 20% HMT possessed higher gel hardness.     

Effect of raw and heat–moisture‐treated high‐amylose corn starches on the process of digestion in the rat digestive tract

High‐amylose corn starch (HAS) is widely known as a resistant starch foodstuff. We developed heat–moisture‐treated high‐amylose corn starch (HMT‐HAS) that was more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis. Resistant starch contents of HAS and HMT‐HAS using the enzymatic–gravimetric method were found to be 30% and 65% respectively. Rats were given 10% ordinary corn starch (CS), HAS or HMT‐HAS by meal feeding for 10 days. The caecum contents increased and the caecal pH was lower after their diets were supplemented with HAS and HMT‐HAS. Starch contents increased in the upper and the lower small intestine with HAS and HMT‐HAS. Caecal starch with HAS and HMT‐HAS was more than that with CS. Particularly, caecal starch with HMT‐HAS was seven times more than that with HAS. There were no differences in starch content in the large bowel between CS and HAS, but the content increased with HMT‐HAS. These results suggested that HAS and HMT‐HAS were resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine, and any indigestible starches reached the caecum. In the caecum, HAS was hydrolysed almost completely by intestinal bacteria; however, some HMT‐HAS escaped bacterial hydrolysis. This escaped HMT‐HAS reached the large bowel and was excreted in the faeces. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Fine structure of amylopectin and relation with physicochemical properties of three coloured potato starches

In this study, yellow, red and purple potato starches were selected as the research objects to analyse the fine structure and the relation to the physicochemical properties. Enzymatic hydrolysis and high-performance anion-exchange chromatograph were employed to characterise the structure of clusters and φ, β-limit dextrins. The average degree of polymerisation of clusters from the yellow potato starch was larger (188.57) than in red (91.31) and purple (107.32) potato starch. The molar percentage of fingerprint B chains in yellow, red and purple potato amylopectin were 58.01%, 63.60% and 60.78%, respectively, while major part of short B chains were 15.92%, 17.16% and 16.49%, respectively. The yellow potato amylopectin showed the highest density of branches values indicated that it was more tightly branched. The Pearson correlation coefficients results indicated that the fine structure of amylopectin had significant effects on the physicochemical properties of potato starches, and we can better understanding the differences of the properties among the three potato starches by studying the amylopectin fine structure.     

The Influences of Chain Length of Amylopectin on Resistant Starch in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Amylopectin is the principle component of starch. To elucidate the relationships between amylopectin and resistant starch content, six rice mutants with altered fine structure of amylopectin were selected for comparative studies with the primary wild type and two types of amylose‐extender (ae) mutants. Significant differences in resistant starch content were observed among mutants with similarity or differences in amylose levels. Mutants high in resistant starch had significantly increased proportions of short amylopectin chains with DP≤12, decreased levels of intermediate chains with size of 13≤DP≤36, and decreased fractions of long chains with DP≥37. Additionally, there was a mutant different to ae, which was characterized by an increased level of short chains with 8≤DP≤12 and 13≤DP≤24, and a decreased proportion of long chains with DP≥37. The increased contents of short chains with 8≤DP≤12 and decreased of intermediate and long chains with 24≤DP were clearly associated with the increase of resistant starch in rice.     

Pasting properties of hydroxypropylated starches before or after proteinase treatment

To examine the effect of starch protein on hydroxypropylation, corn (normal and waxy) and potato starches were hydroxypropylated with propylene oxide at two levels (8.3 and 12.3% based on dry basis of starch weight) before or after proteinase (thermolysin) treatment, and then pasting properties of the starches were measured. For normal corn starch, protein appeared to be involved in hydroxypropylation, especially at the higher concentration of reagent (12.3%); the starch hydroxypropylated after proteinase treatment (Enz‐HP) showed less reaction efficiency than that only hydroxypropylated (HP) or proteinase treated starch after hydroxypropylation (HP‐Enz). This suggests a possible reaction between some of the reagent and the starch proteins that exist in the channel and surface of the starch granules. However, not much difference was found with the waxy corn starch, as it contains much lower amounts of amylose and protein than normal corn starch. The potato starch, which has no channels, showed complicated protein effects. For potato starch, a different access of the enzyme and chemical reagents to the granule matrix could be possible.     

Influence of moisture content on the degradation of waxy and normal corn starches acid-treated in methanol

Waxy and normal corn starches with different moisture contents, 5.1-16.9% and 4.8-15.9%, respectively, were prepared and treated in methanol containing 0.36% HCl at 45 °C for 1 h. Recovery of all the treated starches was found to be above 90%. Peak viscosity, gelatinization temperature and enthalpy change of gelatinization of waxy and normal corn starches decreased after treatment and this decrement was found to be more in treated starches having lower initial moisture content. The weight-average degree of polymerization and chain length (CL) of waxy and normal corn starches decreased upon acid-methanol treatment. The decrement ratio of molecular weight of modified starches was found to be negatively correlated with the initial moisture content of the starches. The decrement ratio of normal corn starch was higher than waxy corn starch with similar moisture content of starch. The content and CL of long chain fraction of amylopectin for waxy corn starch slightly decreased after treatment, while no obvious trend was found among starches with different moisture contents. CL of amylose for acid-methanol-treated normal corn starch decreased and this change was found to be higher in starches with lower initial moisture contents. Results demonstrated that the initial moisture content of starch granules strongly influenced the functional properties and degradation of starch treated by acid in methanol.