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As a by-product of dragon fruit consumption, dragon fruit peel (DFP) was developed into powder as a natural ingredient. Nevertheless, the effect of DFP on the physicochemical properties of flours used in Asian food processing and cooking remains unknown. In this study, starch digestibility, thermal, pasting, and physicochemical properties of DFP and flours (potato, rice, glutinous rice, and wheat) were characterized. It was found that DFP contained 65.2% dietary fiber together with phenolic compounds, betacyanins, and antioxidant activity. The results demonstrated that DFP (from 125 to 500 mg) reduced starch digestibility of flours, rapidly digestible starch, and slowly digestible starch, along with an increased proportion of undigested starch. A marked increase in phenolic compounds, betacyanins, and antioxidant activity occurred when DFP and flour were incubated for 180 min under simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results indicate that bioactive compounds in DFP were highly bioaccessible and remained intact after digestion. Moreover, DFP exerted a significantly lower gelatinization enthalpy of flours with increasing peak viscosity and setback with decreasing pasting temperature. FTIR confirmed the decreased ratio at 1047/1022 cm−1, indicating the disruption of short-range orders of starch and DFP. These findings would expand the scope of DFP food applications and provide a knowledge basis for developing DFP flour-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Millets of different types like Barnyard (Echinochloautilis), Finger (Eleusinecoracana), Foxtail (Setariaitalic), Kodo (Paspalumsetaceum) Little (Panicumsumatrense), Pearl (Pennisetumglaucum) and Proso millets (Penicummiliaceum) are staple foods for Indian and African diets. The germination, fungal and microbial contamination leads to postharvest losses mainly due to poor warehouse storage in Asia and Africa. Six millet varieties conditioned at 12% and 14% moisture content and irradiated at a dosage of 2.5 and 5 kGy and then milled into flours. The flour was analysed for composition, antioxidant and the rheological and thermal properties. Pearl, Proso, Finger Kodo at 12% moisture contents showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in Phenolic contents at 2.5 kGy level of irradiation treatments compared with native and 5% irradiation treatment level. The DPPH activity showed an interesting results (42.77–72.65%) with wide variation and a mixed trend of high and low results with irradiation. Thermal transition temperatures showed that the irradiation decreased the transition temperatures primarily due to loss of the crystalline and amorphous starch structure due to radiation that lead to rapid water uptake and shorter time to reach peak viscosity. We are further studying the application of the irradiated flours in different food products to understand the influence of irradiation on nutritional, sensory and functional properties in cereal‐based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Seven novel alleles of SBEIIb and one allele of SSIIa co-segregated with the ASV phenotype and contributed to distinct starch quality traits important for food-processing applications. Sorghum is an important food crop for millions of people in Africa and Asia. Whole-genome re-sequencing of sorghum EMS mutants exhibiting an alkali spreading value (ASV) phenotype revealed candidate SNPs in Sobic.004G163700 and Sobic.010G093400. Comparative genomics identified Sobic.010G093400 as a starch synthase IIa and Sobic.004G163700 as a starch branching enzyme IIb. Segregation analyses showed that mutations in Sobic.010G093400 or Sobic.004G163700 co-segregated with the ASV phenotype. Mutants in SSIIa exhibited no change in amylose content but expressed lower final viscosity and lower starch gelatinization temperature (GT) than starches from non-mutant plants. The sbeIIb mutants exhibited significantly higher amylose levels and starch GT and lower viscosity compared to non-mutant starches and ssIIa mutants. Mutations in SBEIIb had a dosage-dependent effect on amylose content. Double mutants of sbeIIb and ssIIa resembled their sbeIIb parent in amylose content, starch thermal properties and viscosity profiles. These variants will provide opportunities to produce sorghum varieties with modified starch end-use qualities important for the beer brewing and baking industries and specialty foods for humans with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additional 0.5 °C warming from 1.5 to 2°C global target has a significant impact on the occurrence of extreme temperature events. While the arid and semi‐arid areas (ASA) and humid areas (HA) present different response characteristics to the additional global mean 0.5 °C warming due to their differences in thermal properties. In this study, both the stabilized and transient 1.5 °C (2 °C) global warming scenarios projected by the Community Earth System Model (CESM) are used to compare the extreme temperature responses between the ASA and HA to the 2 and 1.5 °C global warming targets over East–central Asia. The results indicate that cold fixed‐threshold indices (frost days [FD] and icing days [ID]) will decrease more rapidly in ASA, by approximately 10 days (1.5 °C) and 15 days (2 °C) compared to the historical period, respectively. Warm fixed‐threshold indices (summer days [SU] and tropical nights [TR]) will become more common in HA, especially southeast of China. Under 1.5 °C target, the increase of intensity indices is equal to the average temperature warming response (1.5 °C), while the additional 0.5 °C warming makes the response of intensity indices much greater than 0.5 °C. Under 0.5 °C warmer world, the daily temperature range (DTR) will experience a 0.5 °C increase in most HA and a 0.2–0.5 °C decrease in ASA during winter. As a whole, the additional 0.5 °C warming has an amplified effect and the 1.5 °C global warming target could reduce the extreme temperature events significantly over East–central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gelatinized adzuki-bean cake (commonly known as Yokan or Yanggaeng) is one of Asia's favorite bean snacks. This product as a continuous phase structure, which is embedded with the dispersed phase formed by adzuki bean paste, which is prepared by the combination of agar and sugar. The gel characteristics of gelatinized adzuki-bean cake are influenced by the physical properties of agar, sugar, and the adzuki bean paste and are highly correlated to its product quality. An analysis was carried out using a Rapid Visco Analyzer on the adzuki bean powder to investigate the feasibility of simplifying its preparation process and reducing the amount of agar used in it. The effect of starch contained in the adzuki bean powder on the gelling capacity was also investigated. The gelatinous properties and viscoelasticity of gelatinized adzuki-bean cake were affected by the textural properties of adzuki bean paste, agar, and sugar. The results showed that the structured bean paste particles were distributed in the continuous phase formed by agar and sugar. These particles formed a gelatinous product with a homogeneous dispersion system following a long cooking period and concentration. • The compositions of Yokan would affect its textural properties. • Agar and concentration-time have multiplicative effects on Yokan properties. • Agar increases the enthalpy (ΔH) of thermal properties during Yokan processing. • The amylose content is an important factor in the gelation of Yokan. • Sugar content would significantly affect the Yokan color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo fibers are utilized for the production of various structures, building materials, etc. and is of great significance all over the world especially in southeast Asia. In this study, the extraction of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was performed using bamboo fibers through acid hydrolysis and subsequently different characterizations were carried out using various advanced techniques. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis has indicated the removal of lignin from MCC extracted from bamboo pulp. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed rough surface and minor agglomeration of the MCC. Pure MCC, albeit with small quantities of impurities and residues, was obtained, as revealed by Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates the increase in crystallinity from 62.5% to 82.6%. Furthermore, the isolated MCC has slightly higher crystallinity compared to commercial available MCC (74%). The results of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrate better thermal stability of isolated MCC compared to its starting material (Bamboo fibers). Thus, the isolated MCC might be used as a reinforcing element for the production of green composites and it can also be utilized as a starting material for the production of crystalline nanocellulose in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]