Gluten-free bread baked under reduced pressure characterized by TD-NMR

International audienceBased on spin-spin T2 relaxation time measurements, the time-domain NMR (TD-NMR) spectroscopy has been used to provide relevant information on the water and biopolymer motion and transfer in bread [1]. This technique permits to characterize molecular interaction and transformations in a non-invasive and non-destructive way, in real time during a process (heating, freezing, hydration ...). In bread, proteins of gluten when hydrated form a viscous mass that confers to the dough, structure, viscosity, mixing tolerance and gas holding ability [2]. On the other hand, starch, in presence of water and increasing temperature, undergoes a series of changes known as swelling, gelatinization and retrogradation that induce variations in water distribution, in starch structure and interactions between them [3]. This study aimed at understanding and ranking the contribution of these biochemical transformations that contribute to the crumb structure and the textural properties of bread prepared with a gluten free mix (Schär). The water transfers and the extent of starch gelatinization in crumb were studied by TD-NMR after the heating/cooling process of dough hydrated at 55% and 48% (wet basis). Two baking processes were compared, one at the atmospheric pressure while the other was carried out at reduced pressure (-20 kPa). Bread baking using partial vacuum results in greater oven-rise and greater gas fraction in the crumb, giving an increased softness of the crumb for a more pleasant mouthfeel. Under reduced pressure, the boiling point of water decreases but, until now, no study was conducted to check if this baking condition modifies or not the starch gelatinization and protein denaturation. By comparing rheological measurements (modulus of elasticity using a compression stress relaxation experiment) with TD-NMR data, it was shown that the crumb softness was mostly driven by the gas fraction while the biochemical changes (starch gelatinization, protein denaturation), monitored by TD-NMR, were little modified when dough was baked under partial vacuum

Characterization of gluten-free bread crumb baked at atmospheric and reduced pressures using TD-NMR

International audienceThis research aimed to study the effects of using a partial vacuum for bread baking on macromolecules and water distribution in gluten-free bread. Bread baking under partial vacuum results in greater oven rise and a larger gas fraction in the crumb. Because water's boiling point decreases under reduced pressure, it was expected that its distribution within the dough and its interactions with the others dough's constituents (mainly starch) would differ from those in bread baked under atmospheric pressure. Time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance was used, as it has the rare capacity to quantify both gelatinization and retrogradation of starch. Complementary rheological measurements made it possible to show that crumb Young's modulus was mostly influenced by the gas fraction whereas there was little change in starch gelatinization and retrogradation when dough was baked under partial vacuum. When insufficiently hydrated (48%), the volume of breads was practically the same whatever the baking process. Meanwhile, the nuclear magnetic resonance results suggested that amylose short-term crystallization (on cooling) is dependent on water content. In addition, crumb Young's modulus during storage at room temperature correlated with an increase in free induction decay signal intensity. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

A new fetal RHD genotyping test : costs and benefits of mass testing to target antenatal anti-D prophylaxis in England and Wales

Background Postnatal and antenatal anti-D prophylaxis have dramatically reduced maternal sensitisations and cases of rhesus disease in babies born to women with RhD negative blood group. Recent scientific advances mean that non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD), based on the presence of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma, could be used to target prophylaxis on "at risk" pregnancies where the fetus is RhD positive. This paper provides the first assessment of cost-effectiveness of NIPD-targeted prophylaxis compared to current policies. Methods We conducted an economic analysis of NIPD implementation in England and Wales. Two scenarios were considered. Scenario 1 assumed that NIPD will be only used to target antenatal prophylaxis with serology tests continuing to direct post-delivery prophylaxis. In Scenario 2, NIPD would also displace postnatal serology testing if an RhD negative fetus was identified. Costs were estimated from the provider's perspective for both scenarios together with a threshold royalty fee per test. Incremental costs were compared with clinical implications. Results The basic cost of an NIPD in-house test is £16.25 per sample (excluding royalty fee). The two-dose antenatal prophylaxis policy recommended by NICE is estimated to cost the NHS £3.37 million each year. The estimated threshold royalty fee is £2.18 and £8.83 for Scenarios 1 and 2 respectively. At a £2.00 royalty fee, mass NIPD testing would produce no saving for Scenario 1 and £507,154 per annum for Scenario 2. Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis indicates that, at a test sensitivity of 99.7% and this royalty fee, NIPD testing in Scenario 2 will generate one additional sensitisation for every £9,190 saved. If a single-dose prophylaxis policy were implemented nationally, as recently recommended by NICE, Scenario 2 savings would fall. Conclusions Currently, NIPD testing to target anti-D prophylaxis is unlikely to be sufficiently cost-effective to warrant its large scale introduction in England and Wales. Only minor savings are calculated and, balanced against this, the predicted increase in maternal sensitisations may be unacceptably high. Reliability of NIPD assays still needs to be demonstrated rigorously in different ethnic minority populations. First trimester testing is unlikely to alter this picture significantly although other emerging technologies may

Mapping of a congenital microcoria locus to 13q31-q32.

Congenital microcoria is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a pupil with a diameter <2 mm. It is thought to be due to a maldevelopment of the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris, and it is associated with juvenile-onset glaucoma. A total genome search for the location of the congenital microcoria gene was launched in a single large family. We found linkage between the disease and markers located on 13q31-q32 (Zmax = 9.79; theta = 0). Haplotype analysis narrowed the linked region to an interval <8 cM between markers D13S1239 proximally and D13S1280 distally