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This study investigated the effects of pre-fermentation degree and storage temperature fluctuations on the gas cells, gluten protein, rheological properties of frozen dough, and quality of steamed bread. Three pre-fermentation degrees and four fluctuating temperatures (-10 °C, 0 °C, 10 °C, and 25 °C) were used. The gas cell size increased with the pre-fermentation degree; however, the gas cells merged and ruptured during temperature fluctuations. Sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction protein content and free sulfhydryl content increased by 3.07 % and 33.62 %, respectively, in the medium pre-fermentation group at 25 °C compared with those at -10 °C. The maximum strain of dough increased as pre-fermentation degree and fluctuating temperatures increased. The specific volumes of steamed bread with medium pre-fermentation degree were 1.87 mL/g at -10 °C and 1.47 mL/g at 25 °C. In conclusion, higher temperature fluctuations exceeding the freezing point exacerbated the dough and steamed bread quality, particularly in high pre-fermentation degree dough., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To overcome the problem that takeaway noodles possessed poor immersion resistance, in this study noodles were prepared from post-ripened wheat flour, and changes in textural properties, protein components, and water status of noodles were determined. The firmness and tensile distance of noodles were gradually increased by 7.40%-35.88% when wheat flour was post-ripened for 20-40 d. Afterwards, noodle textural qualities were slightly decreased. Compared with control groups, contents of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and disulfide bonds were significantly (p<0.05) increased and protein network was also more compact, whereas the Glutenin/Gliadin ratio and free sulfhydryl groups content were significantly (p<0.05) reduced. Contents of sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) were reduced by 3.22%-6.23%. Meanwhile, the decrease in A 23 indicated that wheat flour post-ripening limited water-absorbing capacity of noodles during immersion. In conclusion, wheat flour post-ripening promoted the immersion resistance of noodles by inducing protein cross-linking, and the best post-ripening time was 20-40 d., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effects of ethanol (0 %∼6%) on the dough mechanical properties and quality characteristics of fresh noodles and elucidated the relationship between the above changes and physicochemical, structural, and molecular properties of gluten. Ethanol reduced the water absorption (from 59.00 % to 52.33 %), stability time (from 8.17 min to 3.33 min) and viscoelasticity of dough, and increased the development time, weakening degree and compliance. Ethanol also decreased the fracture stress of dough sheet, and increased fracture elongation and adhesiveness (from 46.15 g·s to 75.88 g·s). Ethanol decreased the noodles' hardness (from 5347.41 g to 4442.34 g), break force, tensile distance, and water absorption, while cooking loss was increased. SEM and CLSM showed that ethanol destroyed the compactness of internal structure and inhibited the formation of gluten network in noodles. According to the results of SE-HPLC and RP-HPLC, ethanol dissolved part of the gliadin and inhibited the polymerization of protein., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Highland barley is a type of grain with slow-digesting characteristics. It is worth exploring the impact of non-starch components on starch digestion. In this study, four varieties of highland barley were used to investigate the impacts of endogenous polyphenols (EP) on the relationship between starch structure, physicochemical properties, and the time course digestibility of highland barley noodles. The results showed that EP removal decreased the proportion of long-chain amylopectin and disrupted the crystalline structure, while increasing the short-range ordered structure in the residue. Significant correlations indicated that these structural changes make starch more susceptible to thermal degradation and digestion, causing a 12.60%-52.00% increase in rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and a 12.70%-25.22% decrease in resistant starch (RS). These results revealed the internal factors that affect the slow digestion characteristics of highland barley noodles from the perspective of EP and provide important reference values for a slow digestion diet., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect and mechanism of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic browning in yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) were investigated. The browning degree and PPO activity in YAN or PPO solutions decreased with the SHMP concentrations increased. Variations in pH values (pH 7-8.5) adjusted by HCl or acetic acid slightly affected the PPO activity, but SHMP inhibited PPO activity more pronounced. The inhibition of SHMP on PPO activity was irreversible. SHMP formed coordinate covalent bonds with Cu 2+ to make PPO inactive. HPLC analysis revealed that SHMP reduced the browning products and led to the color of PPO-catechol systems being lightened. Furthermore, SHMP inhibited browning by hampering the auto-oxidization of intermediate products due to the change in pH value. Besides, the HPLC chromatogram, UV-vis spectrum, and mass spectrometry revealed that SHMP could convert melanin (m/z 248.97, 723.5, and 836.58) to light-colored substances (m/z 137.11)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on the microbial stability and quality properties of fresh wet noodles were evaluated. The addition of COS prolonged the shelf-life of fresh wet noodles at 4 °C by 3-6 days and effectively inhibited the growth of acidity value. However, the presence of COS increased the cooking loss of noodles significantly (P < 0.05) and decreased the hardness as well as tensile strength significantly (P < 0.05). The enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH) was decreased by COS in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Meanwhile, the addition of COS decreased the relative crystallinity of starch (from 24.93 % to 22.38 %) without changing the type of X-ray diffraction pattern, revealing that COS weakened the structural stability of starch. In addition, COS was observed to impair the development of compact gluten network by confocal laser scanning micrographs. Further, the free-sulfhydryl groups content and sodium dodecyl sulphate-extractable protein (SDS-EP) values of cooked noodles increased significant (P < 0.05), confirming the obstruction on the polymerization of gluten proteins during the hydrothermal process. Although COS adversely affected the quality of noodles, it was outstanding and feasible for the preservation of fresh wet noodles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the heat-induced interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins by heating wheat proteins, buckwheat albumin, globulin, and mixtures of wheat flour with buckwheat albumin/globulin at 50, 65, 80, 95, and 100 °C. The results showed that the cross-linking reactions of wheat glutenin with buckwheat albumin and globulin initiated at 80 and 95 °C, respectively. Buckwheat albumin decreased the extractability of α-gliadin by 35 % at 95 °C and 5.9 % at 100 °C. The linkage of buckwheat globulin to wheat glutelin prevented part of the wheat gliadin from linking to glutelin, resulting in the extractability of α- and γ-gliadin increased by 8.6 % and 11 % at 95 °C, respectively. The chemical forces results indicated that interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins were primarily driven by disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a theoretical basis for better regulating the wheat-buckwheat protein network to improve the quality of buckwheat-enriched products., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present work, the Pickering emulsions with enhanced oxidation stability were fabricated using gliadin (G)/arabinoxylan nanoparticles (GANPs). The influence of different G/AX ratios on the properties of GANPs and corresponding physicochemical characteristics of Pickering emulsions were investigated. Results indicated that the droplet size and ζ-potential of Pickering emulsions declined with the decrease of G/AX ratios. Pickering emulsion with the smallest G/AX ratio (1:4) exhibited excellent oxidative and coalescence stability due to the formation of viscoelastic gel network, which was supported by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images. Furthermore, the increase of salt ions in a lower concentration (0-0.2 M) was conducive to the flocculation of the droplets, while further increasing the NaCl concentration impaired the emulsion stability. Such elements revealed that G/AX complex is a promising stabilizer of Pickering emulsions with prominent antioxidant activity, which have favorable potential applications in protecting the functional properties of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of freeze-thaw cycles (0-8) on the quality of frozen raw noodles (FRN) were investigated. Three types of wheat flour with different protein contents were used to prepare FRN. Freeze-thaw treatment decreased the break force and increased the tensile distance of FRN with higher protein content. More mobile water and less compact microstructure were detected in FRN. Freeze-thaw cycles exerted negative effects on the cooking and texture performance of FRN indicated by increases in the cooking loss (CL) and broken noodle (BN) percentage and decreases in the hardness and chewiness. After four freeze-thaw cycles, FRN with lower protein content exhibited higher CL and BN ratios and less chewiness. The tensile distance and peak force of the gluten isolated from FRN decreased during freeze-thaw cycles, which caused the quality deterioration of FRN. FRN with higher protein content and greater gluten strength demonstrated better resistance to the freeze-thaw treatment., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The impact of freeze-thaw cycles on the physicochemical properties and frying performance of frozen Youtiao dough with chemical leavening agent was investigated. The specific volume of Youtiao made from frozen dough decreased by 66% after 4 freeze-thaw cycles. Meanwhile, the hardness and puncture force showed increasing trends, and the fibrous structure became unclear. The extensibility, storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') of frozen Youtiao dough decreased during freeze-thaw cycles, while the creep compliance increased. Changes in rheological properties demonstrated that frozen Youtiao dough was more deformable and its strength was weakened. Moreover, the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) extractable protein and free sulfhydryl content increased, revealing that protein was depolymerized. The loose structure with large pores and fractured protein network were observed by micromorphology. Freeze-thaw cycles had a detrimental effect on the Youtiao quality, which was related to the deterioration of rheological properties and protein structure of frozen Youtiao dough., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect of four types of phosphate salts (PS) on the shelf-life and quality characteristics of semi-dried noodles, as well as their underlying mechanism were investigated. Microbial analysis showed 0.2% or 0.4% sodium dihydrogen phosphate (MSP) extended the shelf-life of noodles from 3 days to 5 days. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed PS decreased the mobility of free water in noodles. Cooking and texture analysis showed sodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) increased the cooking loss of noodles, and MSP decreased the tensile force of noodles. Sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), TSPP, and MSP increased the hardness of noodles, while sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) decreased the hardness. Thermal properties analysis indicated STPP and TSPP increased the gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) of starch in noodles, while SHMP and MSP decreased the ΔH. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed SHMP, STPP, and MSP strengthened the gluten network formation, while TSPP weakened the network., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antimicrobial polycationic peptide ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) enhanced the freeze-thaw tolerance of industrial yeast; the enhancement mechanism of ε-PL on yeast was studied. Results showed that a ε-PL coating was observed in ε-PL-treated yeast. After 4 times of freeze-thaw, the cell viability, glycerol content, and CO 2 production of 0.6 mg/mL ε-PL-treated yeast were higher than those of untreated yeast, specifically, the cell viability of ε-PL-treated yeast was 87.6%, and that of untreated yeast was 68.5%. Metabolomic results showed that the enhancement mechanism of ε-PL on yeast was related to the promotion of cell membrane-related fatty acid synthesis pathways before freeze-thaw treatment, and the promotion of trehalose biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways after freeze-thaw. Furthermore, ε-PL induced inhibition of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, resulting in a longer stationary phase at the beginning of the freeze-thaw and ultimately providing a higher level of freeze-thaw stress tolerance than untreated yeast., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect of egg white protein addition on the fibrous structure and protein aggregation of textured wheat gluten (TWG) extrudates was investigated. The hardness, springiness, chewiness, and degree of texturization of TWG significantly increased with the addition of egg white protein. Analysis of morphological characteristics showed a positive effect of egg white protein on the formation of the fibrous structure of TWG. The results of size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) indicated that the egg white protein improved the degree of wheat gluten aggregation, and the analysis of the protein intermolecular forces proved that disulfide bonds were the main contributor to the cross-linking of protein. In addition, an increase in the β-sheets also indicated an increase in protein aggregation induced by egg white protein. The addition of egg white protein promoted protein interactions and improved the fibrous structure of TWG., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To reduce the rehydration time and improve the quality of textured wheat gluten (TWG), the effects of steam pretreatment and water temperature (45 °C, 65 °C, and 85 °C) on the rehydration of TWG were investigated. Four different models were used to describe the rehydration kinetics: Peleg, Weibull, first-order, and exponential association models, with the Weibull model found to give the best fit. High temperature induced deterioration of textural properties and oral processing behavior and increased the rehydration loss ratio, while steam pretreatment reduced these negative changes. Morphological results showed that the surface and cross-sectional structure were conducive to water diffusion with steam pretreatment. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared thermal results indicated that steam pretreatment promoted the diffusion of water and reduced the time required to reach thermal equilibrium. This work provides a fast rehydration method for TWG to help in the future production of high-quality meat analogues., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and ferulic acid (FA) on steamed bread quality and gluten aggregation properties were investigated. IDF and FA increased the hardness and decreased the specific volume of steamed bread, except for 0.3 g of FA. Compared to the control sample, the hardness of steamed bread with 0.3 g of FA decreased by 36%, and the specific volume increased by 10.91%. FA promoted gluten aggregation through a cross-linking reaction because the sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) of gluten with 1.8 g of FA decreased by 61.32% compared to the control sample under non-reducing condition. The ζ-potential of gluten during the proofing and steaming stages decreased by 46.64% and 68.10% with the increase in IDF, which showed that IDF promoted gluten aggregation by reducing the electrostatic repulsion. Gluten aggregation caused by IDF and FA could be the main reason for steamed bread deterioration., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the effect of superheated steam treatment (SST) on lipid stability of whole wheat flour (WWF) during storage. After SST, the lipase and peroxidase of WWF were inactivated, and lipoxygenase activity was lower than 5% of its initial value. The total tocopherols decreased slightly in all SST groups, especially it only decreased by 1.1% at 190 °C for 5 s. Furthermore, the increase of fatty acid value in the control group was over 100-fold than that of the SST groups during storage. The unsaturated fatty acids and total tocopherols in WWF decreased gradually, but the decrease was alleviated by SST at 190 °C for 5 s. After storage, the relative content of hexanal and 2-pentylfuran in the SST groups were 4 and 0.3-fold than those in the control group, respectively. Thus, SST may be a potential approach to stabilise the quality of WWF., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

ε-poly-L-lysine treated yeast (PTY) helps to enhance the freeze-thaw tolerance of frozen dough. This study explored the effect of PTY on the aggregation and the gas-retention of frozen dough after steaming for 2, 5, 10, and 20 min. Gas-cell images showed that PTY reduced the loss of gas-retention ability caused by 4 times of freeze-thaw. The results of sodium dodecyl sulfate extractability and subunit distribution of gluten showed that, after the same heat time, frozen dough with PTY has higher degree of covalent crosslinking with better aggregation ability of α-, γ-gliadin, and low molecular weight glutenin subunits than frozen dough with yeast. Chemical analysis and chain morphology results demonstrated that the levels of acidity, NH 2 , and free sulfhydryl in dough were decreased, and the protein molecules aggregated into longer chains when using PTY instead of yeast, indicating that PTY reduced acid-mediated hydrolysis and increased the disulfide bonds-mediated gluten polymerization., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the influence of NaHCO 3 on the water state, gluten polymerization, microstructure and quality of frozen steamed bread dough during freeze-thaw cycles. Results showed that the steamed bread made from alkaline (0.4% NaHCO 3 ) frozen dough possessed a larger specific volume and smaller hardness after 4 freeze-thaw cycles, than the non-alkaline dough group. The addition of NaHCO 3 slowed the increase of freezable water content and water mobility of dough during freeze-thaw cycles, and the high amount of NaHCO 3 (0.4%-1%) showed the great effect. Compared with non-alkaline dough, the sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein proportion and free sulfhydryl level of alkaline dough increased less after freeze-thaw cycles, indicating a strengthened freeze-thaw tolerance of alkaline dough. Based on microstructure image and corresponding protein network analysis (PNA) results, the protein area and total protein length in alkaline dough remained at a higher level than non-alkaline group after 4 freeze-thaw cycles., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The lack of gluten in Tartary buckwheat has always been the main limiting factor of their development. This paper explored how to improve the processing quality of gluten-free Tartary buckwheat noodles (GF-TBNs) by introducing extruded starch into Tartary buckwheat flour (TBF) and the underlying mechanism was also elucidated. Extruded Tartary buckwheat starch (ETBS) was obtained under different extrusion conditions. The thermal properties, molecular weight, and viscosity of ETBS were examined to determine the key parameters closely related to the water distribution and rheological properties of the dough sheet, and tensile properties of GF-TBNs. The results showed that ETBS with a low molecular weight and high viscosity contributed greatly to the GF-TBNs with good tensile properties. It is proposed that ETBS with a low molecular weight and high viscosity might form a gel-entrapped network inside GF-TBNs, which was confirmed by the morphology of GF-TBNs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) treated yeast on gluten polymerization of frozen dough and quality of steamed bread after freeze-thaw cycles were investigated. Compared with steamed bread made from frozen dough containing ε-PL and untreated yeast (PUTY) or only untreated yeast, steamed bread made from frozen dough containing ε-PL treated yeast (PTY) had a larger specific volume, lower hardness and more porous. A dynamic rheological and scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that using PTY instead of yeast could reduce dough elasticity and damage protein network after freeze-thaw cycles. Lower sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) soluble polymeric proteins and monomeric proteins, and higher SDS insoluble proteins were found in frozen dough containing PTY, which indicates a reduced depolymerization of gluten proteins after freeze-thaw cycles. After 4 freeze-thaw cycles, the lower glutathione and free sulfhydryl in dough containing PTY indicate that the interchain disulfide bonds between proteins were preserved., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hexose oxidase was a feasible prevention for the dark spots in the fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS). The chemical mechanism that hexose oxidase recucing the melanins of dark spots was discussed basis on the UPLC-TOF-MS analysis of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-catechol system. In the process of PPO browning, hexose oxidase catalyzed the oxidation of o-benzoquinone derivatives and their oligomers, hindering the formation of melanins. Hexose oxidase was efficient in FWNS with low ash content when water addition was 24%~44% or pH range was 4 ~ 7.5. Hexose oxidase could inhubit dark spots in the presence of 10 metal ions. The recommended addition amount was 40 ~ 60 ppm, by which the dark spots could be compolitely inhibited. Hexose oxidase was also suitable for wholewheat and oat FWNS, ΔL 6d of wholewheat and oat FWNS were reduced by 4 and 7.98, respectively., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The influence of fresh egg white (EW) addition on the quality characteristics and protein aggregation in oat noodles containing wheat flour and gluten was studied. EW addition decreased cooking loss and increased cooking time of 70% oat noodles. The hardness, chewiness, tensile force and tensile distance improved significantly. A smooth surface and continuous protein network were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after adding EW. After cooking, the peak area in SE-HPLC profile of 70% oat noodles with EW decreased obviously. The extractabilities of protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate containing medium (SDSEP) of cooked wheat and oat noodles under non-reducing condition were lower than those of samples under reducing condition. The protein bands changes in SDS-PAGE profiles showed that EW could induce disulfide cross-linking of proteins in noodles. EW addition promoted proteins interaction and improved the cooking and texture properties of oat noodles., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The role of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the browning of fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS) was discussed. To release the chemical formation mechanism of the dark spots formed on FWNS, the reconstituted FWNS and PPO-catechol reaction systems were prepared. Different from the overall color change of FWNS, almost all the melanins in dark spots were indirect products of PPO catalysis. The PPO catalytic dehydrogenation was an essential step for the formation of dark spots, but once the phenol dehydrogenation products were formed, the dark spots could still form through a further polymerization process, even though the PPO was completely deactivated. The optimum pH for the phenolic dehydrogenation in FWNS was about 7, and the alkaline condition was advantageous to the progress of the polymerization. Comprehensively, the maximum amount of dark spots was formed at about pH 9., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Quality characteristics of whole wheat flour with superheated steam treatment and storage stability of semi-dried whole wheat noodle were investigated, as well as texture and cooking properties of cooking noodles. Superheated steam treatment significantly reduced the total plate count and the activities of lipase, lipoxygenase and polyphenol oxidase in whole wheat flour (p < 0.05), and decreased the free phenolic content. When treated at 155-170 °C, the thermomechanical properties of whole wheat dough improved with the increase of the development time, stability and C2 torque. Superheated steam treatment showed no obviously detrimental effects on hardness and cooking loss of noodle. During storage, treated semi-dried whole wheat noodle exhibited slower rate of microbial growth. Superheated steam treatment significantly reduced the acidity, inhibited the formation of free fatty acid, and decreased the activities of enzyme during storage. This would delay the deterioration and improve the storage stability of semi-dried whole wheat noodle., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chinese traditional hand-stretched dried noodle is very popular in China for its unique taste and flavor quality, and NaCl plays a vital role in its processing. The effects of NaCl (1%-6%, w/w) on rheological and gluten properties of dough of Chinese traditional hand-stretched dried noodle were studied. The addition of NaCl (1%-4% w/w) enhanced storage modulus, loss modulus and extensibility of dough, while these rheological parameters started to decreased when NaCl amount reached 5% (w/w). With salt addition increased from 0% to 6% (w/w), the solubility of gluten in SDS medium showed a significant (p < 0.05) decreasing trend, while opposite result was found on the yield and G' of gluten macro polymer. These changes on gluten indicated that the interaction among gluten molecules increased with the increase of salt amount. Excessive salt (5%-6%, w/w) disrupted the gluten network, which was responsible for the reduction of dynamic and extensional properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Wheat-based products are staple foods for over a third of the world's population. However, most wheat-based staple foods are provided with a high water content to maintain naturally chewable mouthfeel, which leads to a short shelf life and limits their distribution and marketing. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms and dynamics that drive the quality deterioration is therefore essential for obtaining alternative technologies for optimal quality and extended shelf life. Here, we provide the basis for the physicochemical, structural, and molecular changes occurring in various wheat products during storage, intending to elucidate the underlying deterioration causes. Generally, more desirable qualities are obtained for fresh wheat products, both in appearance and mouthfeel. During storage, changes in the physicochemical properties, structure, main constituents, and water status contribute to the quality deterioration. Based on these changes, deterioration mechanisms are summarized to provide both theoretical and practical references for the quality regulation of high-moisture wheat-based food., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the effects of tempering with steam on the water distribution of wheat grains and the microbial load in wheat flour were investigated, as well as the physicochemical properties of wheat flour. Results showed that when steam treatment time was 320 s, the total plate count (TPC), yeast and mold count (YMC), and mesophilic aerobic spores (MAS) in flour decreased by 1.74, 1.99 and 1.01 lgCFU/g, respectively. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results showed that tempering with steam accelerated the water distribution of grains and significantly (p < 0.05) shortened the tempering time. Moreover, flour yield, particle size, ash content, and damaged starch content of flour were all altered. Furthermore, after tempering with steam, proteins were aggregated and starches were partially gelatinized, which caused dough development time and stability of flour increasing. Collectively, our findings indicated steam tempering could shorten the tempering time and improve the qualities of flour partly., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the inhibiting effects of low-molecular weight polyols on the deterioration of gluten network and noodle texture were systematically investigated, based on dough rheological properties, and the macroscopic, structural and water status changes of gluten protein during storage of fresh noodles. Both glycerol and propylene glycol significantly restrained the decrease of GMP gel weight, LA-SRC value, hardness and springiness, and the increase of cooking loss. SEM showed that polyols retarded the collapse of gluten network, with still continuous gluten fibrils. The inner structure of polyol noodles was much less damaged after 2 days, with more uniform moisture distribution in MRI images. Potential dynamic depolymerization and repolymerization interactions were detected for protein components during processing and cooking, which might contribute to the textural changes. Low-molecular weight polyols inhibited the collapse of gluten network and deterioration of noodle texture although they showed no inhibiting effect on microbial growth., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of alkali (NaHCO 3 or Na 2 CO 3 ) on the quality and protein polymerization of buckwheat Chinese steamed bread (CSB) were investigated. The alkali addition increased the specific volume of CSB, for NaHCO 3 from 1.84 ml/g (control) to 2.66 ml/g. Image analysis showed that alkali increased the pore area fractions. The addition of Na 2 CO 3 exhibited a greater pore count and lower pore average size. The texture properties were improved with the increase of crumb hardness and resilience. The extractability of protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate containing medium (SDSEP) decreased. Furthermore, SDS-PAGE showed an obvious decrease in the intensity of protein bands with lower molecular weight, while intensity of higher molecular protein bands increased. This demonstrated that alkali addition promoted protein aggregation in buckwheat CSB. In addition, the content of degydroalanine and lanthionine increased and free SH decreased, which indicated alkali addition prompted protein to form dehydroalanine-derived and disulfide cross-linkings., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of frozen storage on the quality of frozen cooked noodles were investigated. Texture analysis showed hardness and tensile force reduced during frozen storage. An increasing cooking loss and a decreasing water uptake ratio were determined when testing cooking qualities. As storage time prolonged, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) detected more freezable water, and an increased relaxation time was recorded by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed water distribution was more heterogeneous. A ruptured microstructure with large pores of frozen cooked noodles was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) photographs demonstrated gluten network lost its integrity and compactness. Size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) indicated the amount of SDS-soluble proteins increased. The present study showed water characteristics and protein network underwent some changes during frozen storage, which had major effects on the quality of frozen cooked noodles., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Different methods used to process green tea powder noodles (GTPN) were compared by analyzing the quality and chemical components of the final products. Significant differences were observed in the discoloration rate, color loss, and lightness of all noodles. Polyphenol oxidase activity was effectively inhibited through the heat treatment, resulting in retardation of the GTPN discoloration rate. However, heat-exposed GTPN showed a higher surface lightness due to a greater loss of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll contents of GTPN prepared with a new method (a combination of water treatment and heat exposure) were prominently higher than those prepared by heat treatment alone, and exhibited less color loss. The heat-exposed noodles had relatively low free polyphenol contents, and their textural properties were not significantly decreased after 28 d. Therefore, combining water treatment and heat exposure in the preparation process has great potential for increasing the stability of GTPN., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, functional, rheological and physicochemical characteristics were carried out for composite gluten-free (CGF) flours, dough and biscuits, respectively fortified with fermented and unfermented Agaricus bisporus polysaccharide (FABP and UABP) flours. Addition of both FABP flour and UABP flour improved functional properties, while addition of FABP flour decreased viscosity property. Incorporation of both polysaccharide flours in CGF biscuit dough revealed a significant increase in rheological moduli (G' and G″) and a decrease in tan (δ). Supplementation of UABP flour increased thickness, whereas supplementation of FABP flour increased diameter and spread ratio. All CGF biscuit formulations exhibited lower fracture strength and hardness compared to the control. Furthermore, both UABP flour and FABP flour formulation (F 3 ) contained the highest nutrients in terms of protein, dietary fibers, amino acids and minerals among the CGF biscuit formulations. The sensory evaluation result showed that FABP flour formulation (F 1 ) and UABP flour F 1 were most acceptable., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The impact of alkali addition on the degree of gluten polymerization and textural characteristics of textured wheat protein was investigated. Results showed that the extrusion process increased the average molecular weight of gluten as evidenced by SDS-PAGE and SDS extractable protein. The addition of alkali not only promoted the degree of gluten polymerization, but also induced dehydroalanine-derived cross-linking. Alkali addition decreased the content of cystine and increased the contents of dehydroalanine and lanthionine. The obvious decrease of free SH showed that dehydroalanine-derived cross-linking was quantitatively less crucial than disulfide cross-linking. Furthermore, the protein cross-linking induced by alkali improved the texture properties of gluten extrudates. SEM analysis showed extrusion under alkaline condition conferred a more fibrous microstructure as a consequence of a compact gluten network., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study investigated the combined effects of aqueous ozone treatment and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on prolonging the shelf-life of semi-dried buckwheat noodles [SBWN; moisture content (22.5±0.5%)] at 25°C. Firstly, the different concentrations of ozonated water were used to make SBWN. Subsequently, SBWN prepared with ozonated water were packaged under six different conditions and stored for 11days. Changes in microbial, chemical-physical, textural properties and sensorial qualities of SWBN were monitored during storage. Microbiological results indicated that adopting 2.21mg/L of ozonated water resulted in a 1.8 log 10 CFU/g reduction of the initial microbial loads in SBWN. In addition, MAP suppressed the microbial growth with a concomitant reduction in the rates of acidification and quality deteriorations of SBWN. Finally, the shelf-life of sample packed under N 2 :CO 2 =30:70 was extended to 9days, meanwhile textural and sensorial characteristics were maintained during the whole storage period., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Methoxy-ρ-benzoquinone (MBQ) and 2, 6-dimethoxy-ρ-benzoquinone (DMBQ) are two potential anticancer compounds in fermented wheat germ. In present study, modeling and optimization of added macronutrients, microelements, vitamins for producing MBQ and DMBQ was investigated using artificial neural network (ANN) combined with genetic algorithm (GA). A configuration of 16-11-1 ANN model with Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm was applied for modeling the complicated nonlinear interactions among 16 nutrients in fermentation process. Under the guidance of optimized scheme, the total contents of MBQ and DMBQ was improved by 117% compared with that in the control group. Further, by evaluating the relative importance of each nutrient in terms of the two benzoquinones' yield, macronutrients and microelements were found to have a greater influence than most of vitamins. It was also observed that a number of interactions between nutrients affected the yield of MBQ and DMBQ remarkably., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The impact of alkali addition on the dough rheological properties and quality of buckwheat noodles was investigated. Farinograph measurements showed that the addition of alkali increased the water absorption and development time of the dough. Dynamic rheological properties analysis showed that alkali addition enhanced G' and G″ of dough. In addition, the texture properties of buckwheat noodles improved by the increase of the hardness and tensile force. Furthermore, an obvious decrease in the intensity of the protein bands with lower molecular weights was observed in SDS-PAGE patterns and the extractability of protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate containing medium (SDSEP) decreased, which demonstrated that alkali addition promoted the degree of protein polymerization in the buckwheat noodles. CLSM analysis showed alkali addition produced a tight and continuous protein network in buckwheat noodles. The protein cross-linking induced by alkali improved rheological properties of dough and texture properties of buckwheat noodles., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To improve the nutritional, physical and flavor properties of wheat bran, yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were used for fermenting wheat bran in solid state. Appearance properties, nutritional properties, microstructure, hydration properties and flavor of raw bran and fermented bran were evaluated. After treatments, water extractable arabinoxylans were 3-4 times higher than in raw bran. Total dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber increased after solid state fermentation. Over 20% of phytic acid was degraded. Microstructure changes and protein degradation were observed in fermented brans. Water holding capacity and water retention capacity of fermented brans were improved. Results suggest that solid state fermentation is an effective way to improve the properties of wheat brans., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, changes in fresh noodles during storage were evaluated at the physico-chemical, structural, and molecular levels. An increase in TPC and decrease in L(∗) value mostly occurred during the first 24h; the pH value significantly decreased (P<0.05) and proteins were partially depolymerized with the deterioration of fresh noodles, as evidenced by free amino acid determination and SDS-PAGE. Changes were also detected in the pasting and viscosity properties of the starch component. Moreover, the water sorption isotherm of fresh noodles decreased during storage, and the NMR transverse relaxation peak shifted right with an increased peak area between 10 and 100ms. MRI images showed that with increased storage time, the original structure was damaged and water distribution became non-uniform and migrated to the surface. TPC, pH, and L(∗) value were selected as the visualized parameters to characterize the fresh noodle deterioration, based on the correlation and factor analyses., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polymerization of gluten and the changes of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) during the production of Chinese steamed bread (CSB) were investigated, providing a theoretical basis to improve and regulate the quality of CSB. Protein extractability and free sulfhydryl (SH) contents increased to some degree during the dough preparation stage, but significantly (P<0.05) decreased during steaming. Remarkable protein aggregates were observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns. The microstructure study of the gas cell and the protein network by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) further revealed the formation of a continuous and three-dimensional gluten network. The loss and recovery of GMP wet weight during dough processing were significant (P<0.05). Glutenin depolymerization negatively correlated with GMP wet weight and the contents of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS). Gluten polymerization led to a decrease in G' and G″ of GMP while gluten depolymerization induced a slight recovery in G' and G″ of GMP., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Some wheat-based food systems, such as cakes and cookies, include mixtures of gluten and egg white protein (EWP) and are processed under heating conditions. Changes in these proteins during processing can affect the quality of the end product. This study investigated protein polymerization during heating of (mixtures of) wheat gluten and EWP. Chemical changes were studied by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC), sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), thiol (SH) measurement and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). During heating, protein polymerization was observed in the mixtures of gluten, glutenin, gliadin and EWP according to SE-HPLC profiles and results of SDS-extractable protein. The results of SDS-PAGE profiles of different proteins were in accordance with SE-HPLC. The number of SH groups in the majority of proteins showed a significant decrease, implying that disulfide (SS) bonds contributed to the extractability loss. In addition, changes of secondary structure tested by FTIR indicated protein aggregation., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Based on the critical water content (for noodle deterioration) concluded previously, high-temperature-short-time (HTST; 105-135°C) and medium-temperature-long-time (MTLT; 45-75°C) dehydrations were introduced in this study to produce semi-dried noodles. The effects of HTST and MTLT on the quality parameters of semi-dried noodles, as well as noodle structure, storage stability, and changes in starch and protein components were thoroughly investigated. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and birefringent analysis presented few starch gelatinization (approximately 30%) in HTST dehydrated noodles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed more compact noodle surface, with uniform pores in the cross section, probably due to enhanced protein-starch combination after HTST dehydration. Meanwhile, HTST induced protein polymerizations in semi-dried noodles, mainly by -SH-S-S interchange, and resulted in significantly (P<0.05) reduced cooking loss. Furthermore, HTST noodles showed higher microbial and color stability. Shelf-life of dehydrated samples at 120°C was extended to 5days from 1day of the control., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A newly identified polysaccharide (PSG-1) has been purified from Ganoderma atrum. The study was to investigate the protective effect of PSG-1 on diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction in rat aorta. Rats were fed a high fat diet for 8 weeks and then injected with a low dose of streptozotocin to induce type 2 diabetes. The diabetic rats were orally treated with PSG-1 for 4 weeks. It was found that administration of PSG-1 significantly reduced levels of fasting blood glucose, improved endothelium-dependent aortic relaxation, increased levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), phospho-Akt (p-Akt), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide in the aorta from diabetic rats, compared to un-treated diabetics. These results suggested that the protective effects of PSG-1 against endothelial dysfunction may be related to activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the effect of vacuum mixing on Asian noodle qualities was investigated based on protein components changes and gluten formation. The results showed that the proportion of salt-soluble proteins decreased in vacuum mixed noodles while alcohol and alkali soluble proteins increased. The free sulfyhydryl content decreased significantly (P<0.05) in low protein (LP) noodles while slight and not significant (P>0.05) decrease was detected in high protein (HP) samples. Remarkable protein aggregates were observed in non-reduced SDS-PAGE patterns for LP noodles. The changes in secondary structure were reflected by the increase in α-helix and β-sheet as well as the decrease in β-turns. Furthermore, vacuum mixing conferred a more continuous and compact microstructure to both HP and LP noodle sheets as well as an increased breaking force and extensibility. In addition, less deterioration in noodle structure and water migration was observed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for vacuum mixed samples during storage., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this research was to evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant and darkening inhibitory activities of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) prepared from chitosan and xylose, and their effects on the preservation and quality of semi-dried noodles. The development of brown color and UV absorbance changes indicated the proceeding of Maillard reaction. The antimicrobial activity, reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity, copper-chelating activity and PPO inhibitory effects of chitosan-xylose conjugates increased with the reaction. Addition of MRPs could improve the textural and cooking quality of semi-dried noodles. Incorporation of 0.35% MRPs (6 h) into semi-dried noodle resulted in an extension of shelf life for more than 7 days than the control noodles (at room temperature). The discoloration caused by the addition of MRPs was limited, and MRPs could inhibit darkening of the noodle effectively. Results suggested that the MRPs could be used as a novel promising preservative for semi-dried noodles., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the effects of ozone treatment on the microorganism mortality in wheat flour and shelf-life of fresh noodles were investigated, as well as the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and textural qualities of cooked noodles. Results showed that the total plate count (TPC) can be largely reduced in wheat flour exposed to ozone gas for 30 min and 60 min. Whiteness of flour and noodle sheet, dough stability, and peak viscosity of wheat starch were all increased by ozone treatment. Free cysteine content in wheat flour was shown to decrease significantly (P<0.05) as the treatment time increased and remarkable protein aggregates were observed in both reduced and non-reduced SDS-PAGE patterns. In addition, ozone treated noodles were generally higher in firmness, springiness, and chewiness, while lower in adhesiveness. Microbial growth and darkening rate of fresh noodles made from ozone treated flour were delayed significantly., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)