Oxidation of potato starch with different sodium hypochlorite concentrations and its effect on biodegradable films

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of oxidation with sodium hypochlorite at different concentrations of active chlorine (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/100 g) on the physicochemical, morphological, pasting, thermal and gel texture properties of potato starch. The native and oxidized starches were used in different concentrations (3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 g starch/100 mL) for the preparation of biodegradable films using glycerol as plasticizer. The films were evaluated for their mechanical properties, color, water solubility and permeability of water vapor. The degree of oxidation potato starches was more intense as there was an increased concentration of active chlorine in the reaction. Films made with oxidized starch with the highest level of active chlorine had lower tensile strength when compared to native starch films. Also, these films had a lower water solubility and water vapor permeability as compared to the native starch films

Níveis de deoxinivalenol, compostos fenólicos e atividade antioxidante de farinha de trigo após processo de polimento

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the debranning process on the deoxynivalenol (DON) content, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of wheat flours, in order to determine which milling technology provides the safest and most nutritional wheat products. Grain samples from the BRS Marcante, BRS Reponte, and BRS 374 wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars were used to obtain both whole-wheat and white flours. For whole-wheat, grains were debranned at different times (20 and 40 s). The debranning process significantly reduced the DON content in the whole-wheat flours from all cultivars. The DON concentration decreased 22 and 28% in the 20 and 40 s debranning treatments, respectively, when compared with the treatment without debranning. In addition, phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity are significantly higher in the whole-wheat flours. The debranning process contributes to the production of safer and healthier foods, by reducing DON content and retaining phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in whole-wheat flours.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do processo de polimento nos níveis de deoxinivalenol (DON), nos compostos fenólicos e na atividade antioxidante de farinhas de trigo, para determinar a tecnologia de moagem que fornece os produtos de trigo mais seguros e nutritivos. Amostras de grãos das cultivares de trigo (Triticum aestivum) BRS Marcante, BRS Reponte e BRS 374 foram utilizadas para obter farinhas de trigo integral e branca. Para a farinha integral, os grãos foram submetidos a diferentes períodos (20 e 40 s) de polimento. O processo de polimento reduziu significativamente o teor de DON nas farinhas de trigo integral de todas as cultivares. A concentração de DON diminuiu 22 e 28% nos tratamentos polimento por 20 e 40 s, respectivamente, quando comparada à do tratamento sem polimento. Além disso, os níveis de compostos fenólicos e a capacidade antioxidante são significativamente maiores nas farinhas de trigo integral. O processo de polimento contribui para a produção de alimentos mais seguros e saudáveis, ao reduzir o teor de DON e conservar os compostos fenólicos e a atividade antioxidante na farinha de trigo integral

Structural, morphological, and physicochemical properties of acetylated high-, medium-, and low-amylose rice starches

AbstractThe high-, medium-, and low-amylose rice starches were isolated by the alkaline method and acetylated by using acetic anhydride for 10, 30, and 90min of reaction. The degree of substitution (DS), the Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the X-ray diffractograms, the thermal, morphological, and pasting properties, and the swelling power and solubility of native and acetylated starches were evaluated. The DS of the low-amylose rice starch was higher than the DS of the medium- and the high-amylose rice starches. The introduction of acetyl groups was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The acetylation treatment reduced the crystallinity, the viscosity, the swelling power, and the solubility of rice starch; however, there was an increase in the thermal stability of rice starch modified by acetylation

Effect of retrograded rice on weight control, gut function, and lipid concentrations in rats

The effects of retrograded rice on body weight gain, gut functions, and hypolipidemic actions in rats were examined. When the retrograded rice was produced by repetitive heating and cooling cycles, it contained significantly higher amounts of resistant starch (13.9 ± 0.98%) than is found in common rice (9.1 ± 1.02%) (P < 0.05). Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either common rice powder or retrograded rice powder, and mean body weight gain was significantly lower in the retrograded rice group (P < 0.05). The liver weight of the retrograded rice group (14.5 ± 0.5 g) was significantly lower than that of the common rice group (17.1 ± 0.3 g, P < 0.05). However, the weights of other organs, such as the kidney, spleen, thymus, and epididymal fat pad were not significantly affected by rice feeding. Intestinal transit time tended to be lower in rats fed retrograded rice when compared to rats fed the common rice, but the difference was not significant. The retrograded rice diet significantly increased stool output when compared to that in the common rice powder diet (P < 0.05), whereas fecal moisture content (%) was significantly higher in the retrograded rice group (23.3 ± 1.2) than that in the common rice group (19.1 ± 1.2) (P < 0.05). The retrograded rice group had significantly lower plasma cholesterol (P < 0.05), liver cholesterol (P < 0.05), and triacylglycerol contents in adipose tissue (P < 0.05) when compared to those in the common rice group. In conclusion, retrograded rice had higher resistant starch levels compared with those of common rice powder, and it lowered body weight gain and improved lipid profiles and gut function in rats

Archaeological implications of the digestion of starches by soil bacteria: Interaction among starches leads to differential preservation

Soil bacteria damage and destroy starch granules in archaeological contexts, but most studies of this kind of damage report on pairings of a single bacterial species with starches from a single plant species. Here we report the results of experiments in which starch granules from multiple plants were digested by a community of soil bacteria. The damage patterns of this bacterial community generally match those for single bacterial strains, and vary among plant species. However, when the bacteria are exposed to a mixture of starches from different taxa, certain plants are digested in favor of others. This variation in digestion could lead to a bias in the starches represented in the archaeological record. The types of damage observed in this experiment are further compared against that observed on archaeological starches recovered from dental calculus and stone tools