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Possible inhibitory effects on wheat starch amylolysis of native and hydrolysed pea protein, in an extruded wheat snack matrix were investigated by using a combined in vitro dynamic gastric model (DGM) and a static duodenal digestion model (SDM). The matrix was prepared by blending wheat flour and pea proteins (12%, w/w) in their native or proteolyzed forms. Extruded snacks were ground, mixed with saliva and poured in the DGM-fundus. The slurry in the antrum was released simulating the in vivo emptying of the stomach and subsequently transferred to the SDM. Native pea protein did not influence the release of soluble glucans and glucose after complete gastric emptying into the vessel. However, the addition of hydrolysed pea protein significantly reduced starch amylolysis at the first 40 min of digestion. No inhibitory effect was observed at later digestion times. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis of the extruded samples clearly indicated enhanced starch-protein interactions, where the magnitude of interaction found to be greatest in the blend with hydrolysed pea protein through hydrogen bonding. At our knowledge, this is the first study using DGM to determine the effect of exogenous protein on the digestibility of extruded wheat starch. The data suggested the possibility of using protease hydrolysed pea protein as an ingredient to formulate low glycemic food products.

In this study, we explored possibilities to develop low glycaemic-index foods from barley (Hordeum vulgare – Hv). Barley has a potential to suppress postprandial blood glucose levels, possibly because of its high content of β-glucan (BG). BG content is particularly high in Hordeum vulgare Subsp. spontaneum (Hs), which is the wild ancestor of cultivated barley. Increasing amylose content in starch is another way to decrease the glycaemic index of a starch-rich-food. Therefore, a recently developed Amylose-only barley grain (AO) containing a 99% amylose starch was included. Two in vitro gastro-intestinal models were used to predict glycaemic indices (pGIs). Grains and bread from Hs and AO showed lower pGIs as compared to Hv. The low pGI value of AO was due to the resistant starch. The low pGI of Hs barley grains was caused by increased viscosity of the digesta. A simulated colon was used to predict potential effects on microbiota.

There is significant potential for industrial use of renewables for a wide range of materials demanded by society. Plants, trees and algae are increasingly attracting attention as sustainable sources for functionalised and polymerizable building blocks. In particular, the outer bark of the birch tree (Betula pendula) is a side stream of the forestry industry with so far very little utilisation besides energy recovery. It is composed of a macromolecular network, suberin, that could provide a renewable, low cost and competitive resource. Within raw suberin is the potentially very useful multifunctional extract cis-9,10-epoxy-18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (CHA). Our drive has been to develop a green and sustainable synthetic strategy to CHA-based polyesters, by exploiting supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a reaction medium and leveraging the regio- and chemo-selective properties of the biocatalyst Novozym 435 (Lipase B). Low temperature (35–55 °C) polycondensation in scCO2 shows significant advantages compared to traditional polymerisation methods leading to reasonably high molecular weight polyesters. The mild synthetic conditions also preserve the valuable epoxy groups of the CHA which we show can be exploited by post-polymerisation functionalisation to create sustainable resins for bio-renewable coatings.

Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) is a mixture of branched-maltooligosaccharides (MOSs), classified as a functional food ingredient with prebiotic potential. The objective of this study was to investigate alternative enzymatic methods to produce a sweetness/viscosity/degradability balance product containing soluble carbohydrate ranging from glucose, maltose, isomaltose and linear and branched MOS (IMOs), of different digestibility. The modified samples were produced using two main routes: 1. simultaneous catalysis by α-amylase and branching enzyme (BE) followed by α-transglucosidase (ABT) treatment, 2. simultaneous catalysis by α-amylase and BE followed by simultaneous β-amylase and α-transglucosidase (ABbT). For both routes, 30% or 50% (w v−1) cassava starch were used and a commercial IMO (comIMO) preparation was used as a positive control. The 30ABbT and 50ABbT showed the highest α-1,6 glucosidic linkages, panose and branched MOS (Degree of Polymerisation (DP) 4–7) compared to all other samples. All ABT and ABbT products showed decreased molecular weight and increased resistance to degradation by amylolytic enzymes as compared to cassava starch. The 50ABbT sample demonstrated the lowest digestion rate constant. Due to their high solubility and structural composition, containing-balanced-glucose, maltose, isomaltose and linear and branched MOS (IMOs), of different digestibility, these compositions can be suitable especially in soft drink- and sport drink formulations.

Starch provides our main dietary caloric intake and over-consumption of starch-containing foods results in escalating life-style disease including diabetes. By increasing the content of α-1,6 branch points in starch, digestibility by human amylolytic enzymes is expected to be retarded. Aiming at generating a soluble and slowly digestible starch by increasing the content and changing the relative positioning of the branch points in the starch molecules, we treated cassava starch with amylomaltase (AM) and branching enzyme (BE). We performed a detailed molecular analysis of the products including amylopectin chain length distribution, content of α-1,6 glucosidic linkages, absolute molecular weight distribution and digestibility. Step-by-step enzyme catalysis was the most efficient treatment, and it generated branch structures even more extreme than those of glycogen. All AM- and BE-treated samples showed increased resistance to degradation by porcine pancreatic α-amylase and glucoamylase as compared to cassava starch. The amylolytic products showed chain lengths and branching patterns similar to the products obtained from glycogen. Our data demonstrate that combinatorial enzyme catalysis provides a strategy to generate potential novel soluble α-glucan ingredients with low dietary digestibility assets.