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This study investigated the composition of digestible starch and prebiotic properties of taro starch due to different heating treatments. The taro starch has been treated by annealing (24 hrs, 50 °C), heat moisture treatment (moisture 25%, 3 hrs, 110 °C), and autoclaving (15 min, 121 °C) with cooling (24 hrs, 4 °C) for 1, 2, and 3 cycles. Results showed that resistant starch (RS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) contents in the modified taro starches (MTS) by all heat treatments increased significantly. Furthermore, MTS by autoclaving-cooling two cycles (AC-2C) showed the best prebiotic properties indicated by high resistance in simulated gastric acid (90.19%), high prebiotic effect (2.45), high prebiotic index (1.96) as well as prebiotic activity (0.072) towards Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). This MTS also has high RS (21.34%) and SDS (27.17%) content as well as low digestibility (64.41%). Hence, AC-2C MTS is very prospective to be used as the prebiotic source.

Background: Along the Alps, the Alpine diet is considered to be one of the most common nutritional models. Next to traditional animal-based products, spontaneous plants of the territory are collected and eaten. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the nutritional features of selected autochthonous plants of the territory and the typical recipe of green gnocchi. Methods: The analyses of proximate composition, carotenoid, total phenol, and mineral contents in raw and cooked plant samples and the chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility in green and control gnocchi were performed. Results: Except for Aruncus dioicus, all the wild plants contained high levels of carotenoids (15–20 mg/100 g FW), mainly as xanthophylls. Rumex acetosa showed the highest levels of total phenols (554 mg GAE/100 g FW), and Urtica dioica can be considered to be a good dietary source of iron, calcium, and magnesium (4.9, 410, and 72 mg/100 g FW). Cooking significantly decreased the potassium and magnesium contents in all wild species, and total phenols and carotenoids in Aruncus dioicus, Blitum bonus-henricus, and Silene vulgaris (p < 0.05). The slowly digestible fraction of starch (%SDS/available starch), which is inversely correlated to insulin demand, was significantly increased in green gnocchi compared to matched control gnocchi (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Traditional consumption of spontaneous plants in the Alpine regions might increase the dietary intakes of several bioactive substances and contribute to cover the nutritional needs of micronutrients.

The research objective was to investigate the morpho-rheological, chemical, and structural changes of dough and Neapolitan pizza TSG as the leavening time varies and to evaluate their effects on the digestibility of starch and on the formation of acrylamide during baking. Pizza dough leavening was monitored for 48 h at 22 °C/80% RH, and the analyses were conducted at selected leavening times (0, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 48 h). It was observed that in 30 h the volume tripled and the viscoelastic dough relaxed in the first 4 h, as evidenced by the lower value of the relaxation percentage “a” and the higher rate of decay “b”, associated with a high value of the compression work, indicating the presence of a very strong gluten mesh. In the following hours, the dough lost elasticity, and in fact, the G’ modulus decreased due to the weakening of the weak interactions between the gluten proteins and the starch. This suggests that a long leavening improved the extensibility of the pizza disc, facilitating the action of the pizza maker. Thermal (TGA and DSC) and morphological (SEM) analyses evidenced the highest water removal rate from the dough, a wider starch gelatinization temperature range, a ∆H of 0.975 ± 0.013 J/g, and a more open and weak gluten structure in dough balls leavened for 16 h. As the leavening time increased, both dough and pizza base samples showed an increase in reducing sugars and free amino groups, while the rapidly digestible starch decreased in the dough following the metabolism of the yeasts and increased in the pizza base due to the starch gelatinization that occurs during baking, which makes it much more susceptible to α-amylase. Finally, the levels of acrylamide remained at the same values despite the higher availability of reducing sugars and its precursors during leavening.

This research aimed to produce gluten-free snacks on a pilot scale from quinoa flour. These snacks experienced an extrusion process, followed by baking. The effects of these technological processes on carbohydrate and protein digestibility, extractable phenolic compounds (EPP), hydrolyzable phenolic compounds (HPP), antioxidant capacity, and physical properties were evaluated in raw quinoa flour and extruded snacks. Extrusion increased digestible starch (RDS) from 7.33 g/100 g bs to 77.33 g /100 g bs. Resistant starch (RS) showed a variation of 2 g/100 g bs. It is noteworthy that protein digestibility increased up to 94.58 g/100 bs after extrusion and baking. These processes increased HPP content, while EPP and carotenoid content decreased. The samples showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant properties determined through the DPPH and ABTS methods. Values of 19.72 ± 0.81 µmol T/g were observed in snacks and 13.16 ± 0.2 µmol T/g in raw flour, but a reduction of up to 16.10 ± 0.68 µmol T/g was observed during baking. The baking process reduced the work of crispness (Wcr) from 0.79 to 0.23 N.mm, while the saturation (C*) was higher in baked ones, showing higher color intensity. The baking process did not influence the viscosity profile. The results in this study respond to the growing interest of the food industry to satisfy consumer demand for new, healthy, and expanded gluten-free snacks with bioactive compounds.

A deep-fried dough/batter food (magwinya) consumed across different age groups and social strata in South Africa was investigated in this study for digestibility and estimated glycaemic index (eGI). In this research, we investigated the influence of bran type—wheat bran (WB) and oat bran (OB), and concentration (0–20% w/w) on the starch digestibility and eGI of magwinya. Rapidly available glucose (RAG) of control fried dough (60.31 g/100 g) was 33% less than fried batter (90.07 g/100 g). There was a significant reduction in RAG and an increase in slowly available (SAG) and unavailable glucose (UG) content of the fried products with OB and WB addition. The highest SAG content was observed in WB fried dough. Control fried batter had the highest eGI value (80.02) and control fried dough had medium eGI value (58.11). WB fried dough, fried batter, and OB fried dough were categorised as medium GI foods at eGI range of 56.46–58.39, 65.93–68.84 and 56.34–57.27, respectively. The eGI values of OB fried batter ranged from 73.57 to 80.03 and were thus classified as high GI foods. UG showed significant correlation with eGI (r = −0.892, −0.973, p < 0.01) and fat content (r = −0.590, −0.661, p < 0.01) for WB and OB fried products. These results reveal that ingredient modification through bran enrichment is effective for the regulation of starch digestion and reduction of eGI of deep-fried dough/batter foods.

Abstract Following an application from Kraft Foods Europe, submitted pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Belgium, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to “slowly digestible starch in starch‐containing foods” and “reduction of post‐prandial glycaemic responses”. The food constituent, “slowly digestible starch (SDS)”, as defined by the applicant in applying an appropriate method (such as the method developed by Englyst et al. (1996; 1999)), which is the subject of the health claim, and the comparator food constituent, “rapidly digestible starch (RDS)”, as defined by the applicant, are sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effect. The claimed effect, reduction of post‐prandial glycaemic responses (as long as post‐prandial insulinaemic responses are not disproportionally increased), may be a beneficial physiological effect. The studies provided consistently showed that consumption of 40–50 % of digestible starch as “SDS” in cereal products containing about 55–70 % of available carbohydrates as starch and 30–45 % as sugars in the context of a meal providing at least 60 E% of available carbohydrates induced significantly lower post‐prandial glycaemic responses (without leading to disproportionally increased post‐prandial insulinaemic responses) than the consumption of all digestible starch as “RDS” in cereal products with a similar content of available carbohydrates, starch and sugars. Cereal products, however, providing around 30 % of digestible starch as “SDS” and containing around 70 % of available carbohydrates as starch and 30 % as sugars did not show such an effect. A cause and effect relationship has been established between the consumption of “SDS”, as compared to the consumption of “RDS”, in cereal products and reduced post‐prandial glycaemic responses (without disproportionally increased post‐prandial insulinaemic responses).