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This work concerns the multi-scale structures and digestion behaviors of indica rice starches with apparent amylose contents (AAC s) of ca. 14%–24%. A higher AAC not always allowed a lower digestion rate (k), different from previous findings that starches containing more amylose normally show slowed digestion. Here, the proportion of stable molecular orders (melting temperature above ca. 73 °C) and AAC synergistically governed starch digestion rate. With a similar AAC , a higher amount of stable orders (R h/l , ratio of enthalpy of stable orders to that of the rest) led to a lower k. Also, with a similar R h/l , a larger AAC caused a lower k. Consistently, JPZ starch had almost the highest AAC and R h/l , showing the lowest k. Regarding this, amylose and stable orders played roles in increasing the bulk density of starch structure matrices, and eventually slow the diffusion, absorption and catalysis events of digestion enzymes within the matrices. • Starches contained varied amounts of stable molecular orders melted above 73 °C. • Stable orders and amylose content synergistically affect starch digestion rate. • With similar amylose content, more stable orders reduced starch digestion rate. • With similar stable orders, more amylose reduced starch digestion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With screening of Lactobacillus fermentum M9 and Candida santamariae Y11 from a natural fermentation broth (Jinjian) for rice noodle production, this work concerns how fermentation with M9:Y11 suspensions of different volume ratios affects the texture and sensory features of rice noodles. The M9:Y11 strains regulated rice structures and thus the physicochemical features of rice noodles. In particular, 5:5 and 8:2 v/v M9:Y11 strains endowed rice noodles with better texture and sensory performance than did Jinjian. The underlying mechanism regarding evolutions in rice noodle properties was discussed from a rice structural view. Specifically, the fermentation disrupted rice ordered structures (e.g., starch crystallites) and broke starch granules, which was preferable for the swelling and molecule leaching of rice noodle matrixes with enhanced molecule interactions. Such noodle matrixes were robust to resist imposed force, thus exhibiting increased hardness, chewiness and mouthfeel. More interestingly, the 5:5 and 8:2 v/v M9:Y11 strains less prominently altered starch granule integrity, contributing to increasing hardness, chewiness and mouthfeel of rice noodles associated with robustness of swollen granule shell within rice gel matrixes. These two ratios of M9:Y11 strains also improved the color, aroma and taste for rice noodles. Highlights • How Lactobacillus M9 and Candida Y11 regulate rice noodle features was disclosed. • M9:Y11 strains disrupted rice ordered structures such as starch crystallites. • M9:Y11 strains could increase rice noodle hardness and chewiness. • M9:Y11 strains could improve rice noodle sensory performance. • M9:Y11 strains led to better noodle quality than did natural fermentation liquid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active packaging films have emerged as alternatives to replace petroleum-based packaging materials. In this work, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/starch/ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE) films possessing enhanced properties were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that PVA and starch were compatible, the concentrations of LAE greatly affected the structural integrity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction showed that the inclusion of LAE did not significantly affect the intermolecular interactions and crystal structures of the polymer matrix. With an increase of the LAE content, the tensile strength (TS) was slightly decreased due to the altered microstructures, the elongation at break (EB) significantly increased ascribed to the synergistic effect of acetic acid, glycerol and LAE. The values of TS and EB were 17.25 MPa and 586.08%, respectively when LAE was 10%. Active films showed good barrier properties from UV while retaining the transmittance in the visible light region. The films containing 1% of LAE exhibited antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), the inhibition zone of bacterial growth gradually expanded with increasing LAE content. This study demonstrates the potential of using LAE as the antibacterial agent for synthesizing natural-based polymeric films for active packaging applications. • Intermolecular interactions and crystal structures of the polymer matrix were not strongly affected by the addition of LAE. • Elongation at break of blend films were significantly improved by the synergistic effect of acetic acid, glycerol and LAE. • Active films with only 1% LAE possessed antibacterial ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a supramolecular structure viewpoint, we concern how concurrent microwave and heat moisture treatment (M/HMT) tailors the pasting and digestion features of indica rice starch (IRS) and waxy rice starch (WRS), using combined analytical methods such as scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. The results confirm that, for the starches (especially IRS), M/HMT led to a concave granule surface, weakened alignment of helices in lamellae, loosened packing of chains in amorphous regions, and somewhat disrupted crystallites. Consequently, the susceptibility of starch structures to hydrothermal effects was insignificantly altered, as reflected by unchanged pasting temperature; the enzyme absorption/hydrolysis could be properly accelerated, as affirmed by a modestly increased digestion rate and slightly reduced enzymatic resistance. Also, compared to WRS, IRS had more amylose with relatively long branches, which probably contributed to starch chain interactions during M/HMT. This tended to reduce the paste viscosity related to the swelling degree of starch granules, and increase the paste stabilities during heating and cooling related to the robustness of swelled granules and the reorganization of glucan chains. • Concurrent microwave-heat moisture treatment (M/HMT) reduced starch paste viscosity. • M/HMT strengthened starch paste stabilities during heating and cooling. • M/HMT properly increased the digestion rate and slowly digestible fraction of starch. • M/HMT moderately disrupt glucan chain assembly in starch supramolecular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colored brown rice shows better health benefits than polished rice, and there is great interest in the design of demanded cooking manners for brown rice. This investigation concerns how the change of cooking mode can slow starch digestion of colored brown rice by inspecting mainly starch structural changes during cooking. Compared to cooking Mode 1, the soaking of Mode 2, at higher temperature, probably enhanced water diffusion into rice matrices, thus strengthening starch lamellae without apparently altering rice morphology and ordered structures such as starch polymorphs and helices. The followed heating of Mode 2, with reduced time, more sufficiently disrupted rice structures, causing less prominent nonperiodic molecular organizations. At the final cooking stage, the braising of Mode 2, having faster temperature reduction for prolonged time, leading to similar rice morphology, reduced molecular orders (e.g., helices) and probably denser amorphous regions of nonperiodic organizations. Such features tended to increase packing density of molecular chains (mainly starch) in rice matrices, thus slowing the enzyme diffusion in rice matrices and associated binding and catalysis events. In this way, a reduced starch digestion rate and increased resistant starch (RS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) were seen for the rice following Mode 2 cooking. • Mode 2 cooking slowed starch digestion of cooked colored brown rice. • Mode 2 soaking stage (higher temperature) enhanced starch semicrystalline lamellae. • Mode 2 heating stage (shorter time) caused less prominent nonperiodic organizations. • Mode 2 braising stage probably allowed higher chain packing density of rice matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]