Thermal behavior and gelling interactions of Mesona Blumes gum and rice starch mixture

Isolation, purification, characterization and stability analysis of melanin pigment from Mesona chinensis

In this study, the isolation and purification of melanin pigment from Mesona chinensis (MCM) were conducted, and the structural characterization and stability evaluation of MCM were performed. The results indicate that MCM is consistent with the spectral features of catechins and polyphenols, identified the stretching vibrations of functional groups such as OH, CH, CO, and CO. It is inferred that the structure of MCM is consistent with that of theophylline and it is mainly composed of phenolic acids, terpenoids, and organic acids. Stability evaluations indicate that MCM exhibits stability under white light, ultraviolet (UV) light, neutral, and alkaline environments, and it shows low sensitivity to reducing agents.

Incorporating ions during thermal processing tailors the microstructure and practical features of rice starch/anthocyanin binary system

Understanding the interplay among salt ions, anthocyanin and starch within food matrices under thermal conditions is important for the development of starch-based foods with demanded quality attributes. However, how salt ions presence influences the microstructure and properties of starch/anthocyanin binary system remains largely unclear. Herein, indica rice starch (IRS) and rice anthocyanin (RA) were used to construct an IRS-RA binary system, with thermal treatment under different concentrations of Na+ (10-40 mM) and types of salt ions (Na+ and Ca2+). The incorporation of salt ions induced the formation of a porous gel matrix, and destroyed the hydrogen bond between starch and anthocyanin through electrostatic interactions, reducing the storage modulus and radius of gyration of the binary system, and increasing the relative crystallinity (from 1.08 % to 1.51 % (20 mM Na+) and 1.69 % (20 mM Ca+)) of the IRS-RA binary system at 90 °C. Also, the DPPH radical scavenging ability of the binary system at 90 °C was enhanced upon incorporating salt ions (0.93 for Na+ condition and 0.94 for Ca2+ condition at 20 mM ion concentration). It is noteworthy that Ca2+ inclusion had more significant effects than the case for Na+ presence, presumably due to the increased charge density.

Comparison of structures and properties of gels formed by corn starch with fresh or dried Mesona chinensis polysaccharide

Starch is a major dietary carbohydrate, but its digestion properties need to be improved. Mesona chinensis polysaccharides (MCPs) had a unique function in improving the flocculation performance of starch. This study investigated the effects of adding Mesona chinensis polysaccharide extracted from wet fresh and dry plants with one-year storage, namely WMCP and DMCP, on the physicochemical properties and digestion kinetics of corn starch(CS). The composition analysis showed both WMCP and DMCP were an acidic heteropolysaccharide rich in galacturonic acid and galactose, whereas showed different average main fraction molecular weights (Mw) of 47.36 kDa and 42.98 kDa, respectively. In addition, WMCP showed higher yield, purity and better physicochemical properties to CS than DWCP. Thermal analysis showed WMCP decreased more gelatinization temperatures and enthalpy of CS, and increased more freeze-thaw stability, water holding capacity, and textural parameters of CS gels than DMCP. Structural analysis revealed WMCP induced more changes in crystallinity, short-range order, and microstructure of CS, which inhibited retrogradation than DMCP. In vitro digestion assays demonstrated WMCP addition significantly increased higher resistant starch content by altering starch-starch and starch-MCP interactions than DWCP. Overall, MCPs addition beneficially modulated CS properties and digestion kinetics, providing a novel way to improve starch functionalities. Moreover, WMCP had more advantages to be chosen to form hydrocolloid with CS than DMCP.

A starch-based controlled-release targeted nutrient agent to stimulate the activity of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon-degrading indigenous microflora present in groundwater

Volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHs) contaminated groundwater has a low indigenous microorganism population, and lack of nutrient substrates involved in degradation reactions, resulting in a weak natural remediation ability of groundwater ecosystems. In this study, based on the principle of degradation of VCHs by indigenous microorganisms in groundwater, and combined with biostimulation and controlled-release technology, we developed a starch-based encapsulated targeted bionutrient (YH-1) with easy uptake, good stability, controllable slow-release migration, and long timeliness for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by VCHs by indigenous microorganisms. The results showed that YH-1 is easily absorbed by microorganisms and can rapidly initiate itself to stimulate the microbial degradation of VCHs, and the degradation rate of various VCH components within 7 days was 82.38-92.38 %. The release rate of nutrient components in YH-1 increases with increasing VCH concentrations in groundwater; this could effectively prolong the action time of nutrient components, while also improving the degradation efficiency of pollutants with a sustained effect of more than 15 days. Simultaneously, owing to the fluidity, water solubility, and biodegradability of YH-1 in lithologic media, YH-1 injection did not cause blockage of the lithologic media in the aquifer. Through YH-1 stimulation, indigenous microorganisms grew rapidly in the underground environment, the diversity of microbial communities and the total number of species increased, and the correlation between genera strengthened. Simultaneously, YH-1 improved the ability of microbial community to convert inorganic electron donors/acceptors, thereby strengthening the co-metabolic mechanism between microorganisms. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the percentage of many microorganisms (e.g., Sphingomonas, Janthinobacterium, Duganella, etc.) that mediated the reductive dechlorination process and were redox inorganic electron donors/acceptors. This was conducive to the reductive dechlorination process of VCHs and achieved the efficient degradation of VCHs.

Anti-inflammatory sesquiterpene and triterpene acids from Mesona procumbens Hemsley

Mesonaprocumbens Hemsley is a plant conventionally processed to provide popular food materials and herbal medicines in Asia. In this study, six triterpene acids, including five new ones (mesonaic acids D-H, 1–5), and one proximadiol-type sesquiterpene (7) were isolated from the methanolic extract of the air-dried M. procumbens. Chemical structures of 1‒7 were established by spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR techniques (1H–1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and HRESIMS. Concerning their biological activities, compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 were examined manifesting high inhibition toward the pro-inflammatory NO production with EC50 values ranging from 12.88 to 21.21 µM, outrunning the positive control quercetin (24.12 µM). The mesoeudesmol B (7) identified from M. procumbens is the very first example, which exhibited high anti-inflammatory activity diminishing the level of the lipopolysaccharide-induced NO in RAW264.7 macrophage cells, thereby suppressing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 and the level of two critical downstream inflammatory mediators iNOS and COX-2.

New Techniques in Structural Tailoring of Starch Functionality

Inherent characteristics of native starches such as water insolubility, retrogradation and syneresis, and instability in harsh processing conditions (e.g., high temperature and shearing, low pH) limit their industrial applications. As starch properties mainly depend on starch composition and structure, structural tailoring of starch has been important for overcoming functional limitations and expanding starch applications in different fields. In this review, we first introduce the basics of starch structure, properties, and functionalities and then describe the interactions of starch with lipids, polysaccharides, and phenolics. After reviewing genetic, chemical, and enzymatic modifications of starch, we describe current progress in the areas of porous starch and starch-based nanoparticles. New techniques, such as using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique to tailor starch structures and using an emulsion-assisted approach in forming functional starch nanoparticles, are only feasible when they are established based on fundamental knowledge of starch. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, Volume 13 is March 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Acid/alkali shifting of Mesona chinensis polysaccharide-whey protein isolate gels: Characterization and formation mechanism

In this study, structural characteristics and formation mechanism of Mesona chinensis polysaccharide (MCP)-whey protein isolate (WPI) gels including group and molecular changes, intermolecular forces, crystallinity, and moisture migration were investigated under pH shifting conditions. Results showed that MCP and WPI formed a stable gel at pH 10. The free sulfhydryl groups and surface hydrophobicity of the MCP-WPI gels increased with the increasing pH. Hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions were the main molecular forces involved in the MCP-WPI gels, and electrostatic interactions and disulfide bonds played a complementary role. The pH conditions evidently influenced the secondary conformational structure of MCP-WPI gels. Molecular weight and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated the formation of a hypocrystalline complex with molecular interaction. In addition, low-field magnetometry (LF-NMR) results showed that the T₂ values decreased with increasing pH, indicating that water and gel matrix had the highest interactions at pH 10.

The role of alkali in sweet potato starch-Mesona chinensis Benth polysaccharide gels: Gelation, rheological and structural properties

According to the Chinese traditional black jelly production process, a critical step to ensure the quality of jelly is to add alkali to it. In this study, the effects of sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) on the pasting, rheological, textural, and structural properties of sweet potato starch (SPS)-Mesona chinensis Benth polysaccharide (MCP) gels were evaluated. Adding Na₂CO₃ at low concentration reduced the final viscosity (FV) of SPS-MCP gels, whereas adding it at a high concentration increased the FV. Adding NaHCO₃ can increase the FV of SPS-MCP gels in a concentration-dependent manner. Rheological results indicated that adding NaHCO₃ at a low concentration decreased the storage modulus of SPS-MCP gels, whereas adding it at a high concentration increased the storage modulus. The storage modulus of SPS-MCP gels increased with increasing concentration of NaHCO₃. The addition of Na₂CO₃ and NaHCO₃ improved the textural properties of SPS-MCP gels and decreased the water mobility. Infrared results indicated that adding alkali can enhance the hydrogen bonding between SPS and MCP. Scanning electron microscopy results suggested that alkali can reduce the size of gels, and make the structure more compact.

Use of Gum Cordia (Cordia myxa) as a Natural Starch Modifier; Effect on Pasting, Thermal, Textural, and Rheological Properties of Corn Starch

Incorporation of hydrocolloid gums in native starches help to improve their pasting, thermal, rheological and textural properties along with improvement in the stability of starch gels. The use of Cordia gum is not widely studied as a starch modifier and this fact could make this study more interesting and unique. This study investigated the effects of the non-conventional hydrocolloid gum (Cordia gum) on corn starch properties. Corn starch and gum Cordia (GC) blends were prepared at different replacement levels (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%). The effect of GC levels on pasting, thermal, rheological, and textural properties were evaluated using rapid viscoanalyzer, differential scanning colorimeter, rheometer, and texture analyzer. The presence of GC significantly increased starch gelatinization temperatures, enthalpies, peak viscosities, final viscosities, and setback viscosities. GC improved freeze thaw stability in starch. The shear rate (1/s) versus shear stress (σ) data of all samples fitted well to the simple power law model (R2 = 0.97-0.99). The control had the lowest flow behavior index (n; 0.17), which increased to (0.36-0.56) with increasing GC levels. The consistency index (K) of the starch-gum blends increased with increasing GC levels. The dominance of elastic properties over viscous properties was demonstrated by G' > G″. The magnitudes of G' and G″ increased with increasing GC concentration. The outcomes could help to use this modification method as an alternative to chemical and enzymatic modification with respect to cost, safety, less time consumption and less requirement of process modifications.

Yield and Physicochemical Properties of Soluble Dietary Fiber Extracted from Untreated and Steam Explosion-Treated Black Soybean Hull

Black soybean hull was subjected to steam explosion (SE) treatment under different conditions to improve the yield and properties of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) extract. Optimal conditions for SE treatment were found to be moisture content of 15%, pressure level of 1.0 MPa, and treatment time of 80 s. Under these conditions, the yield of SDF increased from 10.20% to 17.49%. In addition, structural and functional properties of SDF from untreated and SE-treated black soybean hull were investigated. Soluble dietary fiber extracted from SE-treated hull exhibited lower molecular weight and improved functional properties, such as cholesterol-binding capacity, when compared to SDF extracted from untreated soybean hull. In addition, SDF extracted from SE-treated black soybean hull showed a rough surface structure, while a smooth surface structure was found for SDF extracted from the untreated hull. The obtained results indicate that SE treatment can be successfully used to enhance the yield and the property of yolk cholesterol absorption of SDF adsorption of yolk cholesterol functional properties of SDF from black soybean hull.

Effect of Mesona chinensis polysaccharide on pasting, rheological and structural properties of corn starches varying in amylose contents

Waxy corn starch (WS), normal corn starch (NS), and high amylose corn starch (HS) were used to investigate the effect of Mesona chinensis polysaccharide (MCP) on pasting, rheological, and textual properties of corn starches. Corn starches (6 %, w/v)-MCP (0.05 %, 0.1 %, 0.2 %, 0.3 %, and 0.5 %, w/v) blended systems were used. The pasting viscosity of samples increased after adding MCP, and the improvement effect was most noticeable in WS-MCP system. Meanwhile, MCP can significantly promote the gelatinization and strengthen viscoelasticity of HS-MCP system. MCP inhibited the dissolution of NS and the swelling of WS, while promote the dissolution of HS and WS, as well as the swelling of NS and HS. Furthermore, gelatinization treatment decreased the crystallinity of samples, while high concentration of MCP slightly increased the crystallinity. MCP could promote the formation of a more ordered structure of blended systems, especially for WS-MCP system.

Analysis of Volatile Constituents in Platostoma palustre (Blume) Using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and Simultaneous Distillation-Extraction

Hsian-tsao (Platostoma palustre Blume) is a traditional Taiwanese food. It is admired by many consumers, especially in summer, because of its aroma and taste. This study reports the analysis of the volatile components present in eight varieties of Hsian-tsao using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) coupled with gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). HS-SPME is a non-heating method, and the results show relatively true values of the samples during flavor isolation. However, it is a kind of headspace analysis that has the disadvantage of a lower detection ability to relatively higher molecular weight compounds; also, the data are not quantitative, but instead are used for comparison. The SDE method uses distillation 2 h for flavor isolation; therefore, it quantitatively identifies more volatile compounds in the samples while the samples withstand heating. Both methods were used in this study to investigate information about the samples. The results showed that Nongshi No. 1 had the highest total quantity of volatile components using HS-SPME, whereas SDE indicated that Taoyuan Mesona 1301 (TYM1301) had the highest volatile concentration. Using the two extraction methods, 120 volatile components were identified. Fifty-six volatile components were identified using HS-SPME, and the main volatile compounds were α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene. A total of 108 volatile components were identified using SDE, and the main volatile compounds were α-bisabolol, β-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene oxide. Compared with SDE, HS-SPME sampling extracted a significantly higher amount of monoterpenes and had a poorer detection of less volatile compounds, such as sesquiterpenes, terpene alcohols, and terpene oxide.

Effect of various hydrocolloids on the physical and fermentation properties of dough

Sixteen hydrocolloids (12 carbohydrate-origin and 4 protein-origin hydrocolloids) at several concentrations were added to dough and their rheological, pasting and fermentation properties were studied. We found that 0.2-1% guar gum (GG) and locust bean gum (LBG) resulted in more strengthened doughs. But 0.2-1% pectin and konjac glucomannan (KGM) yielded weaker dough. The chemical interactions study suggested that pectin and KGM induced highest content of chemical bonds. In the fermentation studies, it was found that pectin, GG and agaric gum (AG) had positive effects, resulting in higher stability of dough pore space and gas retention. All protein hydrocolloids exhibited a negative effect on dough quality. Overall, polysaccharide based hydrocolloids with linear chain and higher viscosity have a remarkable effect on the enhancing gluten network. The interaction between hydrocolloids and gluten proteins was also crucial for dough properties, as exceptionally strong interactions caused disaggregation and instability of gluten network.

Effect of the Amount and Particle Size of Wheat Fiber on the Physicochemical Properties and Gel Morphology of Starches

Effects of added wheat fiber, with different levels and particle sizes, on the physicochemical properties and gel morphology of wheat starch and mung bean starch were investigated, using rapid visco analyzer (RVA), texture analyzer (TPA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Each starch was added with wheat fiber at 10, 20, 30 and 40% (weight basis, g/100g), and different sizes of 60, 100 and 180 mesh, respectively. The peak viscosity (PV) of starches with wheat fiber were higher than the control. Starches had the highest PV with 40%, 60 mesh wheat fiber. The starches with wheat fiber showed higher hardness when compared to the control. Wheat starch and mung bean starch, with 40%, 60 mesh wheat fiber, had the highest hardnesses of 147.78 and 1032.11g, respectively. SEM showed that the dense honeycomb structure of starch gel was diminished with increasing wheat fiber. Additionally, the number of internal pores was reduced, and a large lamellar structure was formed.

Blasting extrusion processing: the increase of soluble dietary fiber content and extraction of soluble-fiber polysaccharides from wheat bran

In this study, soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content of wheat bran was significantly increased from 9.82 ± 0.16 (w/w, %) to 16.72 ± 0.28 (w/w, %) by a novel blasting extrusion processing with enhanced water retention capacity and the swelling capacity. In addition, a water-soluble polysaccharide (WBP) was isolated and extracted from extruded SDF. WBP was successfully purified from SDF by column chromatography systems with the average molecular weight (Mw) of 4.7 × 10(4)Da, containing arabinose, xylose, glucose, and galactose. With the molar ratio of 0.76:0.99:1.00:0.12. Our results suggest that WBP owned 1 → 2, 1 → 3, 1 → 2, 6 and 1 → 4, 1 → 4, 6 glycosidic bonds in the absence of 1 →, 1 → 6 glycosidic bonds. In vitro antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS+ radical scavenging capacities, and ferric ion reducing capacity) demonstrated that WBP possesses good antioxidant capacity, and it could be potentially used as a natural antioxidant for use in functional food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Transglutaminase-induced crosslinking of gelatin-calcium carbonate composite films

The effects of transglutaminase (TGase) on the rheological profiles and interactions of gelatin-calcium carbonate solutions were studied. In addition, mechanical properties, water vapour permeability and microstructures of gelatin-calcium carbonate films were also investigated and compared. Fluorescence data suggested that the interaction of TGase and gelation-calcium carbonate belonged to a static quenching mechanism, and merely one binding site between TGase and gelatin-calcium carbonate was identified. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the mechanical properties and the water vapour permeability studies revealed that TGase favoured the strong intramolecular polymerisation of the peptides in gelatin. The microstructures of the surfaces and cross sections in gelatin-calcium carbonate films were shown by scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. The results of the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that TGase caused conformational changes in the proteins films. Therefore, TGase successfully facilitated the formation of gelatin-calcium carbonate composite films.