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In this study, rice starch (RS) was mixed with varying amounts of rice protein (RP; 0 % to 16 %) to explore the effects of protein on the gelatinization and retrogradation of starch during storage. The increased RP addition decreased the viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy of the mixtures but caused an upward trend in the gelatinization temperature, indicating that protein hampers the process of starch gelatinization. Furthermore, RP addition reduced gel hardness, decreased retrogradation enthalpy and crystallization rate constant, but increased Avrami exponent upon RS retrogradation. RP addition also facilitated the mobility of water molecules, weakened the conversion from bound water to free water in the gels, and moderately increased the uniformity and thickness of gel shape. In summary, RP had a dose-dependent effect on the gelatinization and retrogradation behavior of RS, although the anti-retrogradation concentration effect strongly weakened at protein levels exceeding 12 %. It is noteworthy, that excessive RP addition resulted in disulfide bond formation, which increased gel strength and network structure but reduced the ability of RP to facilitate water molecule mobility and restrict water migration, ultimately reducing its anti-retrogradation capability. This phenomenon can be partially attributed to spontaneous protein-protein interaction caused by excessive protein addition, replacing the starch-protein interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Partial gelatinization and freeze-thawing significantly modified the properties of waxy maize starch. • The addition of xanthan gum enhanced these effects of physical treatments. • Treatments affected inner structure and chain arrangement of starch. • Treatments improved the pasting properties and produced a short and cohesive paste. • Treatments increased the gelling ability and stability to freeze-thawing cycles. To improve the pasting and gelling behaviors of waxy maize starch, an aqueous dispersion with or without xanthan gum was subjected to partial gelatinization (5 ℃ above the onset melting temperature of starch) and freeze-thawing treatment. After the treatments, starch granules were slightly deformed, with partial loss of birefringence, and tended to aggregate. The relative crystallinity and thermal stability of waxy maize starch crystals decreased by the treatments. These changes indicated that the treatment affected the inner structure and chain arrangement of the granules. The treated waxy maize starches, however, showed a higher overall pasting viscosity with shorter and more cohesive pastes than that of the native starch. The treated starches formed rigid gels with increased stability against freeze-thawing. The addition of small amounts of xanthan gum enhanced the effects of the treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aqueous suspension of native potato starch (PS)/xanthan gum (XG) mixture was subjected to physical treatments, including critical melting (mild heating, MH; partial gelatinization, PG) and freeze-thawing (FT) treatments. The Physical treatments significantly changed the morphology, pasting, and structural characteristics of potato starch compared with the simple aqueous blending of PS and XG. Microscopy revealed that the starch granules partially melted and some of the melted granules aggregated into a cluster after critical melting and FT treatment. The overall intensity of X-ray diffraction peaks and relative crystallinity also decreased obviously after treatment, indicating partial disruption of the starch inner structure. Both XG addition and physical treatment decreased the solubility index, swelling power, and water holding capacity of starch after physical treatments. Moreover, the final viscosity (from 2988 to about 5000 mPa s) and shear stability (from 3542 to about 200 mPa s) of starch paste were substantially increased by the physical treatments. The critical melting caused the leaching of soluble starch, which induced the formation of starch/XG aggregate matrix attached to the surface of starch granules during FT treatment, contributing to the starch property modification. While the formation of these matrices might also be the reason for the increased thickness of the starch semi-crystalline lamellar structure. [Display omitted] • Critical melting and freeze-thawing treatments with xanthan gum (XG) effectively modified potato starch. • Treatments significantly changed the morphology, pasting and structural characteristics of starch. • Formation of soluble starch/XG matrix during treatments stabilized the starch granules against heating. • Treatments raised the final viscosity and shear stability of starch pastes. • Intensity of X-ray diffraction peaks and relative crystallinity decreased obviously after treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]