Search

Experimental gluten-free (GF) rice cookies were formulated with 100% rice flour (CTR) or by substituting 50% of rice flour with native waxy rice starch (WRS) or with three different resistant starch (RS) ingredients obtained from debranched, annealed or acid and heat-moisture treated WRS (RSa, RSband RSc, respectively). Chemical composition, in vitro starch digestibility and physical and textural characteristics were carried out. Among cookies, RSa-cookies had the highest total dietary fibre content, the lowest rapidly digestible starch and the highest RS contents. All the three RS preparations have proved effective in increasing the proportion that tested as RS with respect to native WRS. However, the estimated RS loss for each applied RS ingredients caused by the baking process followed the order of RSa< RSc< RSb. Last, the lowest vitro glycaemic index value was measured for RSa-cookies. Among cookies, differences in colour and hardness were reported. The partial replacement of commercial rice flour with RSacould contribute to formulate GF cookies with higher dietary fibre content and likely slowly digestible starch properties more than equivalent amounts of RSband RSc.

not available

Gluten free 'tagliatelle' were prepared with teff flour and increasing levels (0, 20 and 40%, w/w; indicating control, T20 and T40, respectively) of a new developed white-seeded low phytic acid and lectin free (ws+lpa+lf) common bean flour. On a dry matter (DM) basis, total starch decreased (p < 0.05) from 72.2 to 65.1 and 60.2%, while protein and dietary fibre increased (p < 0.05) from 9.9 to 13.3% and 16.5% and from 8.5 to 11.8% and 15.7% for control, T20 and T40, respectively. The chemical score of protein increased (p < 0.05) from 46 for control to 65 for T40. The colour was influenced (p < 0.05) by bean inclusion, whereas no difference was reported for texture properties. The ws+lpa+lf bean inclusion increased (p < 0.05) the resistant starch content (from 6.6% DM for control to 18.6% DM for T40) while decreased from 60 for control to 39 for T40 (p < 0.05) the in vitro glycaemic index. The partial replacement of teff flour with bean flour can favourably be used in gluten free pasta formulation.

BACKGROUND: To investigate corn silage fermentative quality, a principal factor analysis was carried out on a database consisting of 196 corn silages sampled from the core, lateral and apical parts of silo feed-out face and characterised by 36 variables. Eleven principal factor components (PCs) were retained and interpreted. Two PCs were related to chemical and digestibility variables; four PCs were characterised by end-products associated with clostridia, heterolactic, homolactic or aerobic fermentations; two PCs were associated with mycotoxins produced by Penicillium roqueforti or by Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium spp., while three PCs explained ensiling procedures adopted to store corn silages. RESULTS: Lower (P < 0.05) yeast or mould counts and greater (P < 0.05) aerobic stability were measured in core than in peripheral samples. Excluding PCs related to ensiling procedures, other PCs were able to predict microbiological counts, aerobic stability or biogenic amine content as verified by multiple linear regression analysis. Based on these results, several corn silage quality index calculations were computed by using a summative equation approach in which different PCs as well as diverse relative weights multiplying each PCs were combined. To compute definitive index calculation, only PCs explaining clostridia, heterolactic and homolactic fermentations were used with relative weights of 30%, 50% and 20%. CONCLUSIONS: The new proposed fermentative quality index was highly correlated to parameters related to corn silage fermentative quality, such as microbiological counts, aerobic stability or biogenic amines and it properly discriminated well- and poorly preserved forages.

BACKGROUND: Previous experiences revealed that increasing the amylose content through the substitution of normal amylose (NA) with high amylose (HA) flours can improve slowly digestible starch properties of cereal-based foods. However, data for wheat-based breads are not clear, since HA sources are frequently used in combination with organic acids and/or specific baking conditions know to reduce rate and extent of starch digestion. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to conduct an in vitro evaluation of starch digestibility of wheat-based breads characterised by increasing amylose levels. METHODS: Wheat-based breads were formulated with increasing amylose levels derived from the substitution of NA white wheat (NAWW) flour with HA maize starch (HAMS) represented by substitution ratio of 0%, 15% and 30% on a total flour basis. RESULTS: Dietary fibre increased (p < 0.05) whereas crude protein decreased (p < 0.05) when the level of HAMS increased in the recipe. The resistant starch and slowly digestible starch fractions increased (p < 0.05), whereas the predicted glycaemic index and the in vitro rate of starch hydrolysis decreased (p < 0.05) when HAMS increased in the formulation. CONCLUSIONS: Present findings suggested that the use of HA ingredients could contribute to formulate wheat-based breads with overall slowly digestible starch properties.

In an effort to improve gluten-free (GF) cookies overall nutritional aspects, as a means of decreasing the glycemic index and increasing the resistant starch content, experimental GF maize cookies were formulated with a normal amylose GF maize flour mix (NAM) and increasing levels of high amylose maize starch flour (HAM) represented by substitution ratio of 0%, 25% and 50% on a total flour (NAM+HAM) basis. Chemical composition, in vitro starch digestibility and sensory evaluation were carried out. Dietary fibre, total starch and amylose contents increased (p<0.05) when the level of HAM increased in the recipe for GF cookies. Both resistant starch and slowly digestible starch increased (p<0.05), whereas rapidly digestible starch and available starch levels decreased (p<0.05) when the level of HAM increased in the formulation. Slower rate of starch hydrolysis (up to minus 66.0%; p<0.05) and lower predicted glycemic index (up to minus 35.0%; p<0.05) were recorded when HAM increased in the composite. No differences were reported in the sensory profile and in the overall acceptability of GF maize cookies formulated with increasing levels of HAM. Taking together, present in vitro findings suggest that the partial substitution of NAM with HAM contributed to formulate GF maize cookies with slowly digestible starch properties without affecting overall sensory attributes.

Intensive dairy farming systems have been blamed of negative impact on environment and landscape, contributing to reduction of plant biodiversity, alterations of soil integrity, excessive use of fertilizers and water for irrigation and pollution (EC, 2000). In most Mediterranean Countries, irrigation water for agricultural purposes exceeds 50% of total national water requirement, particularly during summer (Wriedt et al., 2008). Global climate change and competition among agricultural, domestic and industrial water users will unavoidably intensify problems of water scarcity in the Mediterranean regions (Goubanova and Li, 2007; IPCC, 2007; Rodriguez Diaz et al., 2007).