Gelatinization Transitions of Acid‐modified Tapioca Starches by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

Tapioca starch was partially hydrolyzed by 6 % and 12 % hydrochloric acid (w/v) at room temperature for various length of time. The gelatinization transitions of the acid‐modified tapioca starches were studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Starch suspensions (67 % moisture) were heated at 5 °C/min to follow melting transition of amylopectin. As the hydrolysis time increased, onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and conclusion (T_c) temperatures of gelatinization have been observed to increase, in the same order of relative crystallinity, until reaching some critical values, then decreased with the large broadening of the endotherms. The increasing of the transition temperatures corresponded to the retrogradation of the remaining partially hydrolyzed amylose followed by a decrease of these parameters corresponding to the reduction of the length of the chains of double helices amylopectin.     

Oxidation of linoleic acid in emulsions: Effect of substrate, emulsifier, and sugar concentration

Linoleic acid oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by a nonionic surfactant (Tween-20) was studied. The emulsion composition was varied at a constant oil droplet size. Lipid oxidation was measured as a function of time in the presence of a catalyst (FeSO₄ corbic acid) by two methods: gas chromatographic determination of residual substrate and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometric determination of conjugated dienes. Rate of oxidation was influenced by the emulsion composition (relative concentrations of substrate and emulsifier) and especially by the partition of the emulsifier between the interface and water phase. Concentrations of emulsifier exceeding the critical micelle concentration protected the fatty acid against oxidation. Excess surfactant formed micelles and mixed micelles with linoleic acid, which retarded oxidation by diluting the substrate or perhaps by replacing linoleic acid at the interface, making it less accessible to radical attack. The addition of sucrose also had a protective effect, but only up to a certain concentration, indicating the effect may involve factors other than viscosity.     

A Fresh Perspective on Staling: The Significance of Starch Recrystallization on the Firming of Bread

ABSTRACT: Storage stability of standard white bread (SWB) and Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) breads were studied in terms of texture firming, amylopectin recrystallization, and water relations. SWB showed a more rapid increase in firmness during storage mainly due to the loss of moisture to the crust and surrounding environment. The MRE, a long shelf-life military bread, firmed much slower due to the moisture loss inhibition (hermetic pouch) and plasticization (by formulation). This work confirmed previous findings that in some cases, firming of a bread can be strongly influenced by factors other than amylopectin crystallization. This is possible through controlling changes in the amorphous domains earlier described from thermomechanical studies.     

Droplet composition affects the rate of oxidation of emulsified ethyl linoleate

Our objective was to study the influence of droplet composition on the rate of lipid oxidation in emulsions. A series of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by a nonionic surfactant (Tween 20) was studied. These emulsions had the same total oil concentration (5 wt%) and initial droplet diameter (0.3 μm), but contained droplets with different ratios of ethyl linoleate (substrate) andn-tetradecane (inert diluent). Lipid oxidation was measured as a function of time by three different methods: gas-chromatographic determination of residual substrate; ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometric determination of conjugated dienes; and measurement of aqueous thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. All three methods showed similar trends for emulsions of similar composition. The progress of lipid oxidation in the emulsions was dependent on the concentration of ethyl linoleate in the emulsion droplets. At low concentrations (1% oil as substrate), oxidation proceeded at a relatively slow and constant rate. At intermediate concentrations (20%), the oxidation rate was rapid initially and then slowed down with time. At high concentrations (100%), the oxidation rate was slow at first, and then increased with time. An explanation of our results is proposed in terms of the distribution of substrate molecules between the droplet interior and interface, and the ingress of aqueous radicals into the emulsion droplets.     

Encapsulation of emulsified tuna oil in two-layered interfacial membranes prepared using electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition

Tuna oil-in-water emulsions (5 wt% tuna oil, 100 mM acetate buffer, pH 3.0) containing droplets stabilized either by lecithin membranes (primary emulsions) or by lecithin–chitosan membranes (secondary emulsions) were produced. The secondary emulsions were prepared using a layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition method that involved adsorbing cationic chitosan onto the surface of anionic lecithin-stabilized droplets. Primary and secondary emulsions were prepared in the absence and presence of corn syrup solids (a carbohydrate widely used in the micro-encapsulation of oils) and then their stability to environmental stresses was monitored. The secondary emulsions had better stability to droplet aggregation than primary emulsions exposed to thermal processing (30–90 °C for 30 min), freeze-thaw cycling (−18 °C for 22 h/30 °C for 2 h), high sodium chloride contents (200 mM NaCl) and freeze-drying. The addition of corn syrup solids decreased the stability of primary emulsions, but increased the stability of secondary emulsions. The interfacial engineering technology used in this study could lead to the creation of food emulsions with novel properties or improved stability to environmental stresses.     

Preparation and structural properties of small‐particle cassava starch

Acid and enzyme hydrolyses followed by ball milling were applied to fracture cassava starch granules. Microscopic and chromatographic evidence suggested different mechanisms of the two hydrolyses. Using the enzyme process, granules with a sponge‐like structure and shells with the interior hydrolysed were produced. Amylose and amylopectin were subjected equally to multiple attacks by enzymes, with no significant change in granule crystallinity. The hydrolysed residues could not be effectively broken down by ball milling, although the crystallinity was destroyed. In contrast, the acid treatment caused superficial external corrosion, mainly at the amorphous lamellae, ie the branch points of amylopectin. Acid‐lintnerised starch granules were mostly of Degree of polymerization, DP 10–15 and exhibited increased crystallinity and brittleness, making them more susceptible to breakdown upon milling. Ball milling, although destroying some degree of crystallinity, could effectively reduce the size of acid‐hydrolysed starch, with no further degradation of amylodextrin molecules. By a combination of lintnerisation and ball milling, smaller particle starch (3–8 µm compared with 3–30 µm for native starch) could be produced. It is clear that removal of the amorphous phase prior to milling is critical for effective rupture of the granules. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Amylose Content on Gelatinization,Retrogradation and Pasting Properties of Flours from Different Cultivars of Thai Rice

Presently, rice cultivars are categorized according to amylose content into three groups: low, medium and high amylose content cultivars. The correlation of amylose content with gelatinization properties, retrogradation, and pasting properties of eleven cultivars of Thai rice were investigated. Rice flour was prepared from milled rice by the wet grinding process. Onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and conclusion (T_c) temperatures of gelatinization, (determined by DSC) were found to be highly positively correlated with amylose levels. This correlation could be used for prediction of amylose content of rice flour. Low amylose starch could also be characterized by low degree of retrogradation (%R). The data obtained from RVA‐viscograms (peak viscosity, breakdown, setback, and pasting temperature) can be used only for characterization of the group of low amylose starches (waxy rice). It was demonstrated that low amylose rice starch provided the highest peak viscosity and breakdown and the lowest setback and pasting temperature among the groups investigated.     

Thermal Properties of Ration Components as Affected by Moisture Content and Water Activity During Freezing

ABSTRACT: Beef roast with vegetables is an example of a meal, ready‐to‐eat (MRE) ration entrée. It is a mixture of meat, potato, mushroom, and carrot with a gravy sauce. The thermal properties of each component were characterized in terms of freezing point, latent heat, freezable and unfreezable water contents, and enthalpy during freezing using differential scanning calorimetry. Freezing and thawing curves and the effect of freezing and thawing cycles on thermal properties were also evaluated. The freezing points of beef, potato, mushroom, and sauce were all in the range of −5.1 to −5.6 °C, but moisture content, water activity, latent heat, freezable and unfreezable water contents, and enthalpy varied among these components. Freezing temperature greatly affected the unfrozen water fraction. The unfreezable water content (unfrozen water fraction at −50 °C) of ration components was in the range of 8.2% to 9.7%. The freezing and thawing curves of vegetables with sauce differed from those of beef but took similar time to freeze or thaw. Freezing and thawing cycles did not greatly affect the thermal properties of each component. Freezing point and latent heat were reduced by decreasing moisture content and water activity of each component. Water activity was proportionally linear to freezing point at a_w > 0.88, and moisture content was proportionally linear to freezable water content in all ration components. Water was not available for freezing when moisture content was reduced to 28.8% or less. This study indicates that moisture content and water activity are critical factors affecting thermal behavior of ration components during freezing.