Free sugars and non-starch polysaccharide contents of good and poor malting varieties of wheat and their malts

The yield and composition of low molecular weight sugars and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) of a good- and a poor-malting variety of wheat and their malts were determined. There were seven, four and six-fold increases in total sugars, sucrose and maltose, respectively, on 120 h germination in both varieties, the increase being higher in the good-malting variety than in the poor-malting variety. The poor-malting variety contained slightly (11.7%) higher levels of total NSP than the good-malting variety (10.9%). The uronic acid formed 2.5 to 23.3% of the different NSP fractions, the highest being in EDTA-extractable (EDTAE) fractions. The hexose content of the cold water-soluble fraction decreased from 63.4 to 20% on malting in the good-malting variety but its content remained the same in the poor-malting variety. Mannose was detected only in the EDTAE fraction of the good-malting variety and its concentration decreased from 24.2 to 4.6% on malting. Malt samples from both varieties contained slightly higher levels of hemicellulose A, hemicellulose B and cellulosic fractions, and lower levels of EDTAE NSP fractions. The water-soluble fraction was 45% of the total NSP of the good-malting variety and 28% of the poor-malting variety.     

Phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of solvent extracts from Japonica rice bran

The yield, major phytochemicals (oryzanols, tocopherols (T), and tocotrienols (T3)) and antioxidant properties of Japonica rice bran extracts were investigated, for illustrating the major effects from solvent property. Generally, the extract yield varied with the solvent used in the order of methanol (MeOH) > ethyl acetate (EtOAc) > hexane. In contrast to hexane extracts, both MeOH and EtOAc extracts exhibited a higher total content in phenolic compounds (∼2.5 g gallic acid equivalent/kg bran), oryzanols (1.6–1.8 g/kg bran), or tocols (126–130 mg/kg bran), and a higher T3% in tocols (24–26%). The MeOH extract (at 1 mg/ml) showed the greatest capability in inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation (57%), scavenging DPPH radicals (93%), reducing power (78%), and Fe²⁺ chelating activity (∼1300 μg EDTA equivalent/g) than the other two extracts, partly attributed to its high antioxidant contents. It is newly found that the yield, total content in phenolic compounds, oryzanols, and tocols, and T3% in tocols of the extracts increased with increasing Synder’s polarity value in a quite good linear manner (R² = 0.923–1.000), associated with an increased solvent viscosity. This clearly suggests the potential of using Synder’s polarity value as an index in isolation of desired rice bran phytochemical extracts.     

Functional properties of water-soluble non-starch polysaccharides from rice and ragi: Effect on dough characteristics and baking quality

Water-soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) were isolated from native and malted rice and ragi. The effects of addition of water-soluble NSP on dough rheological characteristics and baking quality were investigated. Water-soluble NSP had low relative viscosity and showed no gelling activity despite considerable amount of ferulic acid (∼492.5-528.0 μg/g). However, they were found to stabilize protein foams against thermal disruption. Addition of water-soluble NSP (0.25 and 0.50%) to wheat flour resulted in increased water absorption and decreased dough development time. However, prolonged mixing resulted in slightly lower dough stability. Increase in dough extensibility and improvement in starch pasting characteristics were observed upon the addition of water-soluble NSP. Significant increase in loaf volume and softness of the bread was also observed. Water-soluble NSP both from malted rice and ragi had higher effect compared to the native one. Results showed that water-soluble NSP can be added to various low-fiber food preparations with positive dough functionality.     

Effect of non-starch polysaccharides on the in vitro digestibility and rheological properties of rice starch gel

The starch digestibility and rheological properties of gels were evaluated in the presence of three non-starch polysaccharides (agar, xanthan gum and konjac glucomannan) with rice starch. Each polysaccharide was added to 30% (w/w) rice starch suspension at defined concentrations and starch gels were prepared. The extent of starch gel digestibility was determined by an in vitro method and rheological properties by a dynamic oscillatory test and a compression test. The added polysaccharides suppressed starch hydrolysis in the gels compared with the control, and a concentration dependency of this suppressive effect was observed. Adding agar and xanthan gum increased the storage shear modulus (G′) of starch gels, while adding konjac glucomannan decreased G′ values. The results indicate that the suppressive effect of non-starch polysaccharides on starch digestibility appears to be not only due to the rigidity of the gel, but also the interaction between starch and non-starch polysaccharides.     

Effects of Alcalase/Protease N treatments on rice starch isolation and their effects on its properties

The effects of different protease treatments on rice starches and their properties were studied. The rice starches produced from protease N exhibited higher pasting viscosities than those produced from alcalase. The hot pastes of the starches produced from protease N also showed higher elastic moduli, zero-order Newtonian viscosities and yield stresses than those produced from alcalase. No differences were found in the crystalline pattern, thermal properties, granules appearance, and average molecular weight (M_w) of the rice starches between the two protease treatments. But the M_w of the pasted starch produced from protease N was higher than that produced from alcalase. When additional protease was added to the isolated starches and the mixture pasted, the M_w of the starches pasted with added alcalase was significant lower than that of the starches pasted with added protease N. The reduction in molecular weight suggested that alcalase had modified the starch molecules during pasting.     

Influence of molecular structural characteristics on pasting and thermal properties of acid-methanol-treated rice starches

Rice starches from TKW1, TNG67 and TCS17 varieties, differing widely in amylose contents (0.1, 18.3 and 29.2%) were treated at 45 °C for 1 h in methanol containing various amounts of HCl. The recovery, pasting properties, thermal behaviors, molecular size and chain length distribution of starch were observed. Starches exhibited widely different pasting and thermal behavior upon acid-methanol treated (AMT). Degradation of starches upon AMT affected the leaching extent and chain length of amylose. No obvious changes were found on chain length and content of chain fractions of amylopectin. The pasting viscosity of rice starch decreased with increasing concentration of HCl, and the pasting profiles depended on the variety of rice. The pasting profile of AMT-TNG67 starch showed a two-step increasing pattern during heating, while TKW1 and TCS17 starches showed smoothly increasing pasting curves. The relationship between pasting patterns of AMT-TNG67 starches with amylose leaching and two stages of swelling behavior of starch granules was investigated. Results indicated that the pasting of starch granules depend on the amount, as well as the chain length, of amylose in granules.     

Paste viscosity of rice starches of different amylose content and carboxymethylcellulose formed by dry heating and the physical properties of their films

Starch modified by combination with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) has been reported to have improved film properties. In this study, rice starches with different amylose content were heat-treated in a dry state after being impregnated with low or medium-viscosity CMC. Noticeable change was found in pasting properties of the starches after dry heat treatment with CMC. It indicated that crosslinkage occurred between the starch and CMC. The waxy starch showed significant change in viscosity throughout pasting after dry heating with CMC, suggesting that the ester bonds were mostly formed between the hydroxyl groups in amylopectin branches of rice starch and carboxylate acid groups of CMC. Particle size also increased after heat treatment with CMC. The modified starch-based films showed improvement in the tensile strength. Both water vapor and oxygen permeability reduced for the modified starch-based films. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) study showed that the values of G′ of modified starch-based film were higher than those of native starch-based film over the temperature range −40 to 60 °C. The heating process with CMC could be used as a modification method for starch and provide desirable properties of starch-based films.     

糙米正面破碎特性与裂纹扩展规律

目的:研究碾米室中糙米破碎特性。方法:利用万能材料试验机进行糙米力学试验,通过数字显微镜观察糙米中裂纹及其扩展变化。结果:糙米受力时会经历屈服阶段与强化阶段的交替过程,直至断裂;在挤压载荷作用下,内部微孔洞处产生裂纹,裂纹的快速扩展造成了米粒破碎或断裂,在三点弯曲和剪切载荷下,糙米从支撑端底面产生裂纹,并扩展至正面;糙米的抗挤压变形能力最大、抗三点弯曲变形能力次之、抗剪切变形能力最小;与挤压载荷相比,糙米在三点弯曲和剪切载荷下的破碎强度和破碎能较小。结论:在对碾米机结构进行设计时,要尽量减少弯曲、剪切作用对糙米的影响;同等条件下,粳型糙米的力学特性优于籼型糙米。     

Preparation and characterization of protein from heat-stabilized rice bran using hydrothermal cooking combined with amylase pretreatment

Hydrothermal cooking (HTC) combined with amylase pretreatment (AP) was used to improve protein extraction from heat-stabilized rice bran. The physicochemical and emulsifying properties of rice bran protein isolate (RPI) were evaluated. Depending on HTC temperature (120 and 150 °C), HTC alone significantly increased extraction yield, while protein purity was decreased. In contrast, HTC combined with AP significantly improved both extraction yield and protein purity (about 45-50% and 72-74%, respectively). The AP avoided the co-precipitation of gelatinized starch during the acidic precipitation. Electrophoresis and size exclusion chromatography profiles indicated that HTC led to the dissociation of insoluble protein aggregates in rice bran, with subsequent increase of soluble aggregates in RPI, linked by non-covalent (e.g., hydrophobic interaction) and covalent bonds (disulfide bond). This result was evidenced by the increased disulfide bond contents and surface hydrophobicity of RPI. In addition, HTC-prepared RPI exhibited excellent emulsifying property.     

In vitro measurement of resistant starch of cooked milled rice and physico-chemical characteristics affecting its formation

Resistant starch (RS) content was determined in 10 indica and japonica milled rices with different levels of amylose. The effect of microbial growth during starch digestion on the measurement of RS, and the correlation between physico-chemical characteristics and RS contents of milled rice were analysed. Results indicated a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in assay values of RS after antibiotics addition, and the markedly decreased sample pH due to fermentation might be the main reason for errors in RS determination. Correlation analyses showed that RS contents of milled rice were closely related to amylose content (r = 0.75, P < 0.05) and protein content (r = 0.78, P < 0.01). No significant correlation existed between RS content and some relatively simple physical properties, such as width, shape and elongation ratio of rice grain, which were reported to be good indictors of rate of rice starch digestion, while a significant positive correlation was found between elongation ratio and digestible starch in cooked milled rice (r = 0.67, P < 0.05).     

Effect of hydrocolloids on the rheological, microscopic, mass transfer characteristics during frying and quality characteristics of puri

Effect of hydrocolloids such as guar gum (GG), arabic gum (AG), carrageenan (CG), locust bean gum (LBG), xanthan gum (XN), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) at 0.5% w/w level on rheological and quality parameters of puri from whole wheat flour was studied. Hydrocolloids like CMC, XN and HPMC increased the water absorption of puri dough, while it decreased in all other samples. The dough development time and mixing tolerance index values increased, while dough stability did not get affected. On addition of hydrocolloid, there was a reduction in the pasting temperature, while the peak viscosity, hot paste viscosity and cold paste viscosity values increased. Hardness, cohesiveness and adhesiveness properties of the puri dough increased with the addition of hydrocolloids. All the hydrocolloids used in general helped in retention of moisture in the puri and hence remained softer and pliable, while there was a significant reduction in the oil content of puri samples containing hydrocolloids. Among the different hydrocolloids used, addition of guar gum at 0.5% w/w level led to puris having improved quality characteristics to a greater extent with respect to moisture retention, lowering of oil content upon frying with softer and pliable texture and better keeping quality. The mass transfer studies confirmed that the mass transfer co-efficient values for moisture loss and oil uptake were lower in puris with guar gum than control.     

Some characteristics of acetylated, cross-linked and dual modified Indian rice starches

Starches from broken rice grains derived from three varieties (PUSA-44, PR-106, and PR-114) were modified by hydroxypropylation with propylene oxide and esterification with adipic acid anhydride and/or vinyl acetate. Degree of substitution and acetyl contents (in parentheses) was relatively low; ranges between 0.02 (0.53%) and 0.12 (3.09%) for hydroxy-propylated cross-linked and acetylated starch samples. The acetylation and dual modification of starches increased the paste clarity, solubility, swelling power, sediment volume, and gel strength but decreased the gel elasticity in all the three varieties. However, the adhesiveness increased only upon dual modification in PUSA-44 and decreased in other two varieties. Cross-linking reduced the solubility, swelling power, sediment volume, and gel elasticity while increased the paste clarity, gel strength and adhesiveness. The physico-chemical characteristics of relatively high amylose variety PUSA-44 among three varieties were significantly lower than those from varieties with low amylose content whereas PUSA-44 had shown improved gel properties as compared to other two varieties.     

硒化大米蛋白抗氧化性活性研究

采用化学修饰法将酶解法获得的大米蛋白制备成硒化大米蛋白（Se-RP）并鉴定其抗氧化活性。研究表明制备的多种Se-RP均具有一定的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPX）活力,其中Se-RP24的GPX活力最高,约为116 U/g。各种Se-RP均可发挥清除1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼自由基（DPPH·）、羟自由基（OH·）和超氧阴离子（O₂^-·）自由基的作用,并可有效维持心肌线粒体的正常功能,抑制抗坏血酸/二价铁离子(V_C/Fe²⁺)诱导损伤线粒体的膨胀,降低线粒体中脂质过氧化产物丙二醛（MDA）的含量。Se-RP的获得为大量制备植物源性硒化蛋白奠定实验基础,也为开发新型蛋白类抗氧化剂提供了新思路。      

Preparation of dried chips from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) tubers and analysis of their functional properties

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) has recently attracted interest as a cheap form of biomass. As a food, tubers of the plant have a characteristic flavour and functional ingredients. For convenience of consumption and to prevent degradation of the high molecular weight moiety of inulin, we examined methods of preparing dried tuber chips. Chips contained inulin, other dietary fibres, and a small amount of polyphenol. The high activity of polyphenol oxidase in raw tubers suggested that blanching for more than 2 min would be required to maintain the paleness of the tubers while drying. Dried tubers had considerable water-holding capacity at low temperatures and viscosity-lowering activity on potato starch paste while heating. These results suggest that Jerusalem artichoke tubers could be more widely utilised in the food industry as a functional modifier of other materials.     

发芽糙米多糖双水相萃取工艺优化及其抗氧化活性

以发芽糙米为原料,采用超声波辅助双水相法萃取对发芽糙米多糖的分配系数进行研究,多糖得率作为考察目标,通过正交试验确定超声波辅助双水相萃取发芽糙米多糖的最佳提取工艺条件。结果表明:发芽糙米多糖最优提取工艺为选用PEG6000、PEG6000添加量15.7%、硫酸铵添加量14.8%、萃取时间40min,该条件下多糖得率为81.07%。并采用DPPH法、邻苯三酚自氧化法和邻二氮菲法检测提取的多糖抗氧化活性。研究发现发芽糙米多糖对DPPH自由基、超氧阴离子自由基以及羟基自由基均有较强的抗氧化作用。     

Structural characterization and immunostimulatory activity of a novel protein-bound polysaccharide produced by Hirsutella sinensis Liu,Guo, Yu & Zeng

HS002-II, a novel protein-bound polysaccharide with 44 kDa molecular weight, was fractionated from submerged cultures of Hirsutella sinensis Liu, Guo, Yu & Zeng by DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S200 chromatography. Based on the results of infrared spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography, methylation, amino acid analysis, NMR spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, the polysaccharide moieties of HS002-II mainly contained a long backbone of (1 → 3)-linked α-d-ribofuranosyl units (1 → 4)-linked α-d-xylopyranosyl units and (1 → 4)-linked β-d-glucopyranosyl units, which was substituted at C-6. The two branches were β-d-mannopyranosyl residues and β-d-galactopyranosyl residues terminated with α-l-arabinopyranosyl residues, respectively. HS002-II consisted of 57.9% polysaccharide and 42.1% protein with the existence of N-type carbohydrate–protein linkage. In terms of the pro-inflammatory cytokines assay (NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and NF-κB) using murine macrophages cell line (RAW264.7), HS002-II exhibited significant immunomodulatory activity by stimulating the IκB-NF-κB pathway.     

Antioxidant activity of white rice,brown rice and germinated brown rice (in vivo and in vitro) and the effects on lipid peroxidation and liver enzymes in hyperlipidaemic rabbits

Antioxidant activity of different rice extract and the effect on the levels of antioxidant enzyme activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin E, lipid peroxidation and liver enzymes in hyperlipidaemia rabbits were investigated. Germinated brown rice (GBR) has the highest antioxidant activity compared to white rice (WR) and brown rice (BR). All rice grains increased the activity of SOD and GPx. However, vitamin E levels increased only in the groups that received the BR and GBR diets. The reduction of lipid peroxidation levels and activity of hepatic enzymes (alanine transferase, ALT and aspartate transaminase, AST) were only significantly observed in the GBR group. In conclusion, GBR supplementation has the greatest impact on increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and vitamin E level and on reducing lipid peroxidation in hypercholesterolaemia rabbit, thereby preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Furthermore, GBR diet can also reduce the level of hepatic enzymes.     

Relationship between the structure,physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of rice starches with different amylose contents

The in vitro digestibility and molecular and crystalline structures of rice starches (Long-grain, Arborio, Calrose, and Glutinous) differing in amylose content were investigated and the relationship between the structure and in vitro digestibility of starch was studied. Long-grain showed the highest amylose content (27.2%), whereas Glutinous showed the lowest amylose content (4.2%). Long-grain had the highest average amylopectin branch chain length (18.8) and proportion (8.7%) of long branch chains (DP ≥ 37), and the lowest proportion (26.9%) of short branch chains (DP 6–12). Among the non-waxy rice starches (Long-grain, Arborio, and Calrose), Calrose had the lowest average chain length (17.7) and the lowest proportion (7.1%) of long branch chains (DP ≥ 37). The relative crystallinity of rice starch followed the order: Glutinous (33.5%) > Calrose (31.4%) > Arborio (31.0%) > Long-grain (29.9%). Long-grain had the highest gelatinization temperature and the lowest gelatinization temperature range, whereas Glutinous showed the highest gelatinization temperature range and gelatinization enthalpy. Arborio had the highest melting enthalpy for amylose–lipid complex among the tested rice starches. Pasting temperature, setback, and final viscosity increased with increasing amylose content, whereas the peak viscosity and breakdown showed negative correlations with amylose content. The rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content of the tested rice starches followed the order: Glutinous (71.4%) > Calrose (52.2%) > Arborio (48.4%) > Long-grain (39.4%). Contrary to this, the slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) contents showed an opposite trend compared to RDS. Digestibility (RDS, SDS, and RS) of the rice starches was significantly correlated (p ≤ 0.05) with amylose content, proportions of DP 6–12 and DP 13–24, relative crystallinity, intensity ratio (of 1047 cm⁻¹ to 1022 cm⁻¹ from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), swelling factor, amylose leaching, onset temperature of gelatinization, gelatinization temperature range, gelatinization enthalpy, pasting temperature, peak viscosity, breakdown, setback, and final viscosity.