Physical, chemical and pasting features of maize Italian inbred lines

Impact of genotypic variation and cultivation conditions on the techno-functional characteristics and chemical composition of 25 new Canadian quinoa cultivars

The utilization of quinoa in food production requires comprehensive information on its processing characteristics. Twenty-five new quinoa cultivars developed by the Northern Quinoa Breeding Program, grown in three Canadian locations over two seasons, were characterized for their proximate composition, pasting properties, thermal properties, water absorption index, water solubility index, foaming capacity, foaming stability, oil holding capacity, and emulsion activity crucial for potential food applications. Results showed significant variations in the proximate composition among the cultivars, which was also influenced by the growing location and harvest year. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were also observed in the pasting properties, thermal stability, hydration properties, foaming properties, oil holding capacity, and emulsion activity. The hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses were associated with five distinct clusters of quinoa cultivars, each with unique techno-functional attributes, suggesting their potential for different food applications. These findings emphasize the need for further research to explore the performance of quinoa flours in specific food products and their impact on end-product quality.

Nutritional Traits, Pasting Properties and Antioxidant Profile of Selected Genotypes of Sorghum, Oat and Maize Eligible for Gluten-Free Products

The technological and nutritional traits of food-grade sorghum hybrids, hulled/naked oat varieties and maize genotypes of different colors were studied for novel and healthier gluten-free foods. Oat genotypes showed the highest protein content, followed by maize and sorghum. The total starch and the total dietary fiber content were quite similar among the three species. Great variation was found in the amylose content, and the highest was in sorghum (27.12%), followed by oat 16.71% and maize 10.59%. Regarding the pasting profile, the rank of Peak Viscosity was sorghum (742.8 Brabender Unit, BU), followed by maize (729.3 BU) and oat (685.9 BU). Oat and sorghum genotypes had similar average breakdown (407.7 and 419.9 BU, respectively) and setback (690.7 and 682.1 BU, respectively), whereas maize showed lower values for both parameters (384.1 BU and 616.2 BU, respectively). The total antioxidant capacity, only in maize, significantly correlated with total flavonoid, phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents, indicating that all the measured compounds contributed to antioxidant capacity. The study indicated the importance of sounding out the nutritional and technological characteristics of gluten-free cereals in order to select suitable cultivars to be processed in different gluten-free foods with better and healthier quality.

Development of high-yielding white maize hybrids with better chapatti-making quality compared to traditionally used local landraces

Introduction

The present research focuses on the chapatti making quality of high-yielding white maize hybrids compared to available low-yielding local yellow and white landraces in India.

Materials and methods

In this study, the top nine superior hybrids were selected for testing the physical properties of the maize kernels, proximate composition of flours and chapattis, physical parameters of chapatti, textural properties, sensory evaluation of chapattis and pasting properties of maize flour.

Results and discussion

The results revealed the superiority of white maize hybrids (WMH), viz., WHM 1, WHM 2, and WHM 8 over the local yellow and white landraces for most of the parameters studied. In sensory analysis, though, the yellow landrace was considered superior by the panellists in terms of colour but the white maize hybrids outperformed in overall sensory analysis and were more acceptable than the yellow and white maize landraces. These high yielding white maize hybrids with good consumer acceptance may cater for the needs of rural and tribal populations in India who prefer white maize as a staple food.

Valorization of Common (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) and Tartary (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) Buckwheat in Gluten-Free Polenta Samples: Chemical-Physical and Sensory Characterization

In recent years, increasing attention has been addressed to buckwheat, an interesting minor crop with an excellent nutritional profile that contributes to the sustainability and biodiversity of the agri-food system. However, the high content of rutin and quercitin present in this pseudocereal can elicit undesirable sensory properties, such as bitterness and astringency, that can limit its exploitation in food formulations. The aim of the present study was to characterize six gluten-free porridge-type formulations (called polenta) prepared using corn and buckwheat flour. Specifically, polenta samples were prepared adding common (CB) or Tartary buckwheat (TB) flour at 20% (CB20; TB20), 30% (CB30; TB30), and 40% (CB40; TB40) to corn flour. Product characterization included sensory and instrumental analyses (electronic tongue, colorimeter, and Texture Analyzer). Products containing Tartary buckwheat were darker, firmer, and characterized by a higher intensity of bitter taste and astringency than those prepared with common buckwheat. In this context, the impact of buckwheat species seems to be more important at 30% and 40% levels, suggesting that lower additions may mask the differences between the species. The gathered information could support the food industry in re-formulating products with buckwheat. Finally, findings about the relationship between instrumental and sensory data might be exploited by the food industry to decide/choose what indices to use to characterize new formulations and/or new products.

High-amylose and Tongil type Korean rice varieties: physical properties, cooking behaviour and starch digestibility

The National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration (RDA) of Korea is presently developing new rice varieties suitable for producing Western rice-based foods, such as risotto, a well-known Italian-style product. The study considered different milled rice from five Tongil-type and six Japonica-type varieties. Besides the biometric properties, cooking behaviour, starch properties, and in vitro digestibility of Korean rice samples were compared with those of the 'Carnaroli' Italian variety. The physicochemical traits of the Korean varieties extended over a vast range; the amylose content stood out (from 13.0 to 41.7%), influencing the hardness and stickiness of cooked samples, and their starch digestibility. Although none of the Korean varieties seemed to guarantee cooking performances for risotto similar to the 'Carnaroli' one, 'Saemimyeon' and 'Shingil' cvs were judged the best for this purpose up-to-now.

Traditional Foods From Maize (Zea mays L.) in Europe

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the major crops of the world for feed, food, and industrial uses. It was originated in Central America and introduced into Europe and other continents after Columbus trips at the end of the 15th century. Due to the large adaptability of maize, farmers have originated a wide variability of genetic resources with wide diversity of adaptation, characteristics, and uses. Nowadays, in Europe, maize is mainly used for feed, but several food specialties were originated during these five centuries of maize history and became traditional food specialties. This review summarizes the state of the art of traditional foodstuffs made with maize in Southern, South-Western and South-Eastern Europe, from an historic evolution to the last research activities that focus on improving sustainability, quality and safety of food production.

High-amylose corn in gluten-free pasta: Strategies to deliver nutritional benefits ensuring the overall quality

High-amylose corn alone or in combination (25% and 50%) with conventional corn was used to produce gluten-free pasta. Flour pre-gelatinization in a tank (process A) or on a conveyor belt (process B) were tested. Resistant starch (RS), soluble (SPAs) and cell-wall bound phenolic acids (CWBPAs) and antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in high-amylose corn pasta. Cooked pasta from process B showed a higher SPA concentration, likely due to the lower cooking loss. The structure of pasta prepared with process B was more homogeneous, whereas it was more compact in the case of process A, as shown by a lower starch susceptibility to α-amylase hydrolysis, higher beginning of gelatinization temperature and lower water absorption. 25% HA represents a good compromise between high RS (4.2%) and good cooking behavior. At higher HA levels, process B is more suitable to obtain pasta with a better cooking quality.

The effect of the amylose content and milling fractions on the physico-chemical features of co-extruded snacks from corn

The suitability of corn fractions (break meal: 250-500 µm; flour: < 150 µm) from hybrids with different amylose contents (conventional: 18%; high-amylose: 42%; waxy: 2%) and their blends, to produce co-extruded snacks was assessed. Corn flour exhibited a higher content in total soluble phenolic acids (+34%) than break meal. The high-amylose hybrid maintained a higher antioxidant capacity and phenolic acid content (+52% for soluble and + 54% for cell-wall bound phenolic acids), even after extrusion, than the conventional one. Because of its gelatinization properties (high pasting and peak temperatures; low maximum viscosity), the high-amylose hybrid produced co-extruded snacks characterized by low section areas and large inner areas. The blends led to snacks whose features (sections and inner areas, porosity and hardness) did not follow a linear trend with the amylose content, suggesting the need for further studies to better understand the starch interactions that take place among the various hybrids.