Search

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of spent coffee grounds in ice cream cones on the quality, sensory characteristics, and in vitro starch digestibility. The incorporation of spent coffee grounds in ice cream cones increased the content of dietary fiber and phenolic compounds. However, the quality and texture characteristics decreased with the addition of spent coffee grounds. The in vitro starch digestibility decreased significantly, resulting in a significant increase in resistant starch content. Fitting starch digestibility using the LOS-plot model revealed the presence of two sequential first-order digestion rates. Sensory analysis revealed that the panelists well accepted ice cream cones fortified with spent coffee grounds. The results suggest that spent coffee grounds are a potential ingredient for the formulation of food matrices with reduced starch digestibility, which contributes to the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases such as type II diabetes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. The results reported in this study are original and developed under no conflict of interest by all authors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, cationic starch-carrageenan‑sodium alginate (CAS/CR/SA) hydrogels with different weight ratios of carrageenan and sodium alginate were prepared and their properties such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheological properties, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and methylene blue adsorption test were measured. The results showed that the viscosity and the shear strain resistance of the CAS/CR/SA hybrid hydrogels positively correlated with their sodium alginate contents. The hybrid hydrogels with high carrageenan contents exhibited a high energy storage modulus (G') and a high loss modulus (G"). The swelling and methylene blue adsorption experiments showed that the CAS/CR/SA hydrogels had pH and temperature sensitivity. The hydrogels reached adsorption equilibrium in 12 h (alkaline conditions) and 24-36 h (acidic conditions). The adsorption kinetics of the hybrid hydrogels showed that their adsorption process was mainly controlled by chemisorption and that adsorption was exothermic (ΔH° < 0)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exits in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors for publication. We confirmed that the figures and tables in revised manuscript are the original work of the authors. I would like to declare on behalf of my co-authors that the work described was original research that has not been published previously, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. All the authors listed have approved the manuscript that is enclosed., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Three rice varieties underwent the field natural extreme high temperature (EHT) with daily average temperature over 30 °C from 21 to 89 days after sowing, and had transparent, chalky and floury grains. The structures, gelatinization properties and enzyme hydrolyses of starches from transparent and floury grains were investigated. Compared with control transparent grains, floury grains subjected to EHT markedly decreased the contents of amylose molecules, amylopectin A chains and amylopectin B1 chains and increased the contents of amylopectin B2 and B3+ chains and the average branch-chain length of amylopectin. Both transparent and floury grains had A-type starches, but floury grain starches exhibited higher relative crystallinity, gelatinization temperature, retrogradation and pasting viscosities than transparent grain starches. Floury grain starches had lower hydrolysis rates than transparent grain starches. Native starches were more resistant to digestion but gelatinized and retrograded starches were more prone to digestion in floury grains than in transparent grains., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A novel core-shell structured alginate-based hydrogel bead modified by co-gelatinizing with starch and protocatechuic acid (PA), was designed to modulate physical properties of beads, release behavior and antioxidant stability of encapsulated bioactives. Core was fabricated by ionotropic gelation, and its formulation (ratio of sodium alginate/starch) was determined by particle size/starch distribution, texture and bioactive encapsulation capacity of core. Then, coating core with shell-forming solution co-gelatinized with different doses of PA, and subsequently cross-linked with Ca 2+ to obtain core-shell structured beads. Surface microstructure, mechanical characteristics, and swelling ratio of beads were affected by concentrations of PA. Besides, core-shell structure containing PA could enhance delivery and sustained release of encapsulated phenolic bioactives during in vitro digestion, and improve their antioxidant potential stability. Furthermore, interaction between PA and polysaccharide components was elucidated by FTIR and TGA. The present information was beneficial for the advancement of functional food materials and bioactive delivery systems., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In the present study, protein-glutaminase (PG) from Chryseobacterium proteolyticum was applied to improve the processing properties of glutinous rice flour (GRF). After PG modification, the degree of deamidation of glutinous rice protein (GRP) reached 13.6% at 2.0 h, with smaller particle size and decreased zeta potential. The interaction of GRP with starch in PG-modified GRF (PM-GRF) was changed, exhibiting in protein aggregates decreasing and exposure of starch on the surface of GRF. Compared with unmodified GRF (UM-GRF), the solubility and turbidity of PM-GRF were both increased. The rheological properties reflected that the viscosity of PM-GRF paste was increased, and the freeze-thaw stability was also enhanced. Moreover, the textural characteristics showed that the hardness of PM-GRF balls remarkably reduced and the springiness increased. These results indicate that deamidation by PG could be an efficient method for improving characteristics of GRP and GRF., 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.)

Buckwheat starch has attracted worldwide attention in the food industry as a valuable raw material or food additive. Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) are two nutrients essential to ensure grain quality. This study investigated the combined application of N fertilizer (0, 45 and 90 kg N ha -1 ) and S fertilizer (0 and 45 kg SO 3 ha -1 ) on the chemical composition, structure and physicochemical properties of buckwheat starch. The results showed that increasing the fertilizer application decreased amylose content and starch granule size but increased light transmittance, water solubility and swelling power. The stability of the absorption peak positions and the decrease in short-range order degree suggested that fertilization influenced the molecular structure of buckwheat starch. In addition, increases in viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy as well as decreases in gelatinization temperatures and dynamic rheological properties indicated changes in the processing characteristics and product quality of buckwheat-based foods., 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.)

The traditional starch-based intelligent freshness labels struggle to maintain long-term structural stability when exposed to moisture. To solve this problem, we prepared composite crosslinked labels using phytic acid for double crosslinking of corn starch and soybean isolate proteins, with anthocyanin serving as the chromogenic dye. The mechanical properties, hydrophobic characteristics, and pH responsivity of these crosslinked labels were assessed in this study. The prepared double-crosslinked labels showed reduced moisture content (15.96%), diminished swelling (147.21%), decreased solubility (28.55%), and minimized water permeability, which suggested that they have enhanced hydrophobicity and densification. The crosslinked labels demonstrated the ability to maintain morphological stability when immersed in water for 12 h. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the crosslinked labels were enhanced without compromising their pH-sensing capabilities, demonstrated a color response visible to the naked eye for milk and coconut water freshness monitoring, suggesting great potential for application in beverages freshness monitoring., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Microbial amylases should essentially remain active at higher temperatures, and in the alkaline pH and a range of surfactants to be suitable as detergent additives. In the present study, a thermophilic amylase producing bacterium, Bacillus licheniformis UDS-5 was isolated from Unai hot water spring in Gujarat, India. It was identified as a potent amylase producer during starch plate-based screening process. Therefore, the physicochemical parameters influencing amylase production were optimized using Plackett-Burman design and Central Composite Design. The amylase was purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation, size exclusion and ion exchange chromatography, achieving the purification fold and yield to be 9.2 and 40.6%, respectively. The enzyme displayed robust stability and activity across a wide range of temperatures and pHs, with an increased half-life and reduced deactivation rate constant. The amylase exhibited optimal catalysis at 70 °C and pH 8. The kinetic studies revealed Km and Vmax values of 0.58 mg/mL and 2528 μmol/mL/min, respectively. Besides, the purified amylase displayed stability in the presence of various metal ions, surfactants, and chelators suggesting its potential for industrial applications, particularly in the detergent industry. Moreover, detergent application studies demonstrated its efficacy in enhancing washing performance. A comparative profile on washing efficiency of the studied amylase and the commercial amylase with various detergents pointed towards its possible future use as a detergent additive., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. Research involving human participants and/or animals This article does not contain any studies with human participants and/or animals performed by any of the authors., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Cassava (Manihot esculentum Crantz) is a staple food source for many developing countries. Its edible roots are high in starch but lack micronutrients such as β-carotene. In the present study, analysis of pedigree breeding populations has led to the identification of cassava accessions with enhanced β-carotene contents up to 40 μg/g DW. This represents 0.2% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A. The β-branch of the carotenoid pathway predominates in cassava roots, with dominant levels of β-carotene followed by other minor epoxides of β-ring derived carotenoids. Metabolomic analysis revealed that steady state levels of intermediary metabolism were not altered by the formation of carotenoids, similar to starch and carbohydrate levels. Apocarotenoids appeared to be independent of their carotenoid precursors. Lipidomic analysis provided evidence of a significant positive correlation between carotenoid and lipid content, in particular plastid specific galactolipids. Proteomic analysis of isolated amyloplasts identified the majority of proteins associated with translation and carbohydrate/starch biosynthesis (e.g. glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase). No carotenoid related proteins were detected even in the highest carotenoid containing lines. Carotenoids were associated with fractions typically annotated as plastoglobuli and plastid membranes (particularly the envelope). Proteomic analysis confirmed these structures apart from plastoglobuli, thus potentially amyloplast structures may not contain classical plastoglobuli structures., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Drapal et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Starch is a primary source of food energy for human beings. Its chain-length distribution (CLD) is a major structural feature influencing physiologically-important properties, such as digestibility and palatability, of starch-containing foods. Diabetes, which is of epidemic proportions in many countries, is related to the rate of starch digestion in foods. Isoforms of three biosynthesis enzymes, starch synthase, starch branching enzymes and debranching enzymes, control the CLDs of starch, which can be measured by methods such as size-exclusion chromatography and fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. Fitting observed CLDs to biosynthesis-based models based on the ratios of the activities of those isoforms yields biosynthesis-related parameters describing CLD features. This review examines CLD measurement, fitting CLDs to models, relations between CLDs, the occurrence and management of diabetes, and how plant breeders can develop varieties to optimize digestibility and palatability together, to develop starch-based foods with both a lower risk of diabetes and acceptable taste., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Texture-modified, multi-nutrient composite foods are essential in clinical treatment for dysphagia individuals. Herein, fibrous whey protein-stabilized emulsion and different crystalline starches (wheat, corn, rice, potato, sweet potato, cassava, mung bean and pea) were used to structure composite emulsion gels (CEGs). These CEGs then underwent 3D printing to explore the feasibility of developing a dysphagia diet. The network of molded CEGs was mainly maintained by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Rice and cassava starches were better suited for structuring soft-textured CEGs. Compared with molded CEGs, 3D printing decreased hydrogen bonds and the compactness of the nano-aggregate structure within the gel system, forming a looser gel network and softening the CEGs. Interestingly, these effects were more pronounced for the CEGs with high initial hardness. This study provided new strategy to fabricate CEGs as dysphagia diet using fibrous whey protein and starch, and to design texture-modified foods for patients using 3D printing., 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 changes in the physical properties of cornstarch-based films as they were retrogradely aged at different temperatures. Using a casting method, the films were fabricated, and their effects on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, barrier properties, and essential properties were analyzed. With prolonged aging and retrogradation periods, reductions in film thickness, solubility, water content, and water vapor permeability of 5.35%, 9.92%, 29.61%, and 20.94%, respectively, were observed. In addition, the surface roughness decreased by 44.46% for Rq (root-mean-square roughness) and 45.61% for Ra (arithmetic average roughness), while the elongation at break decreased by 72.64%. Conversely, the tensile strength, maximum degradation rate, and maximum degradation temperature increased by 116.98%, 99.5%, and 3.21%, respectively. These results provide a fundamental understanding of the changes that occur in the properties of cornstarch-based films during aging and retrogradation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Germination is an environmentally friendly process with no use of additives, during which only water spraying is done to activate endogenous enzymes for modification. Furthermore, it could induce bioactive phenolics accumulation. Controlling endogenous enzymes' activity is essential to alleviate granular disruption, crystallinity loss, double helices' dissociation, and molecular degradation of cereal and pseudo-cereal starch. Post-treatments (e.g. thermal and high-pressure technology) make it possible for damaged starch to reassemble towards well-packed structure. These contribute to alleviated loss of solubility and pasting viscosity, improved swelling power, or enhanced resistant starch formation. Cereal or pseudo-cereal flour (except that with robust structure) modified by early germination is more applicable to produce products with desirable texture and taste. Besides shortening duration, germination under abiotic stress is promising to mitigate starch damage for better utilization in staple foods., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The research aimed to assess the effects of incorporating germinated Lupinus angustifolius flour into corn extrudates for different periods (3, 5, and 7 days), focusing on starch digestibility, morphological structure, thermal, and pasting properties. Extrudate with germinated lupinus flour for 7 days (EG7) significantly increased the content of slowly digestible starch up to 10.56% (p < 0.05). Crystallinity increased up to 20% in extrudates with germinated flour compared to extrudates with ungerminated flour (EUG), observing changes at the molecular level by FTIR that impact the thermal and pasting properties. X-ray diffraction revealed angles of 2θ = 11.31, 16.60, 19.91, and 33.04 as a result of the germination and extrusion processes. Microstructural analysis indicated starch-protein interactions influencing changes in calorimetry, viscosity, X-ray diffraction, and digestibility. PCA allowed establishing that the addition of germinated flours significantly affected the properties and microstructural characteristics of extruded products, potentially affecting digestibility and nutritional quality., 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.)

Rice, has long been an inseparable part of the human diet all over the world. As one of the most rapidly growing crops, rice has played a key role in securing the food chain of low-income food-deficit countries. Starch is the main component in rice granules which other than its nutritional essence, plays a key role in defining the physicochemical attributes of rice-based products. However, rice starch suffers from weak techno-functional characteristics (e.g., retrogradability of pastes, opacity of gels, and low shear/temperature resistibility. Green modification techniques (i.e. Non-thermal methods, Novel thermal (e.g., microwave, and ohmic heating) and enzymatic approaches) were shown to be potent tools in modifying rice starch characteristics without the exertion of unfavorable chemical reagents. This study corroborated the potential of green techniques for rice starch modification and provided deep insight for their further application instead of unsafe chemical methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the fundamental properties, solubility, mechanical properties, barrier performance, and microstructural features of films composed of corn starch and glycerol. Changes in the microstructure were analyzed to understand how they relate to the physical and chemical properties of these films. Specifically, we found that increasing the gelatinization time decreased the film thickness, solubility, water vapor permeability, and maximum degradation temperature and increased the water content. A gradual increase in the water contact angle of the corn starch-glycerol films was observed with increasing gelatinization time. This trend is likely due to the disruptive effect of gelatinization on the crystalline and amorphous structures inherent in corn starch, resulting in reduced film crystallinity, degree of order (DO) and degree of double helix (DD)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have declared no conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the differences in the modification effects and related mechanisms of different times (20 and 40 min) of autoclaved heat (AH) treatment and different doses (2 and 4 kGy) of electron beam irradiation (EBI) in different sequences of effects on acorn starch were investigated. The results showed that both AH and EBI reduced the amylose content (22.70 to 19.59%) and enthalpy (10.28 to 1.84%) of starch but increased the resistant starch content (53.69 to 64.11%). AH treatment made the crystalline regions of the residual starch granules denser, which was resistant to the action of amylase enzymes. EBI degraded the long chain of starch, which increased the solubility. Notably, EBI pretreatment improves the reactive sites by inducing depolymerization and disorder in starch internal structure, thus increasing the modification extent of AH-modified starch, forming starch with lower viscosity, better hydration, and digestibility resistance, therefore being used as an ingredient for functional foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest in this work, the data of this work has not been published elsewhere., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Five different millets (foxtail, little, barnyard, kodo and browntop) with and without sprouting were subjected to flaking. Phytic acid and phenolic content tends to decrease significantly, whereas antioxidant activity increased up to 77.32% on flaking of millets. A significant decrease in peak and final viscosity was observed in millet flakes. A-type diffraction pattern was predominant for unsprouted millets whereas the flaked millets showed V-type crystallinity. The protein digestibility significantly increased up to 37.77% in flakes made from sprouted millets. The mineral bioavailability upon flaking of millets increased, especially Ca (88.22% for little), Fe (43.04% for barnyard) and Zn (61.77% for kodo), which is attributed to the reduction in phytic acid. Flaking, however, led to an increase in rapidly and slowly digestible starch with a corresponding decrease in resistant starch. Among the unsprouted and sprouted millet flakes, foxtail received the highest sensory scores for overall acceptability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors state that they have no personal relationships or conflicting financial interests that could have appeared to have an impact on the work discussed in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Curcumin, a bioactive compound, showed versatile in anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer ability, while their biological fate in elderly is unclear. In this study, curcumin-loaded nanoparticles based on octyl succinate hydrate (OSA) starch and sodium caseinate were prepared and the in vitro elderly digestion and absorption fate was investigated. The loading capacity of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles prepared from OSA starch (HI), sodium caseinate (SC) and OSA starch‑sodium caseinate (HS) were all higher than 15%. Curcumin release behavior of the three nanoparticles during in vitro digestion conformed to first-order kinetics. Meanwhile, the transport efficiency of curcumin for HI, SC, and HS increased significantly than the free curcumin (near 1-fold), and the permeability were 1.9, 2.0, and 2.0 times, respectively. The gene expressions of TNF-α, SREBP2 and NPC1L1 in the organoids were enhanced than control group. This study provided scientific reference and guidance for encapsulation of curcumin and digestion and absorption properties in elderly., 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.)

In the context of valorizing underutilized crops, this study investigated the starch and protein characteristics of chestnut varieties (Balestrera and Rossera) and their potential for use at 15% and 25% in reformulating gluten-free baked snacks and fresh pasta. Chestnut varieties differ in protein and starch content (Balestrera > Rossera), as well as in amylose, dietary fiber, and lipids (Balestrera < Rossera). Differences in starch and amylose content affected starch gelatinization (Balestrera < Rossera), pasting and retrogradation properties, and water absorption capacity at 90 °C (Balestrera > Rossera). No differences in water and oil absorption capacity and mixing properties were observed, neither in the protein profile nor in the nature of protein aggregates. Both varieties exhibited a good aptitude for producing gluten-free baked snacks and fresh pasta, even at enrichment levels of 25%. Overall, this study could provide valuable information for the development of gluten-free products using sustainable, underutilized crops.

Objectives: In the present study, blends of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), starch (SH), nanohydroxyapatite (Nano-HA), and reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) were used to fabricate an electrospun nano scaffold (ENS), via electrospinning for their potential application in oral and maxillofacial bone soft and hard tissue regeneration., Materials and Methods: The scaffold was characterized for its physicochemical and mechanical properties. An invitro study was carried out using human osteoblast MG-63 bone cells. Surface characterization, particularly the analysis of calcium content, was performed before and after immersion in the simulated body fluid (SBF). Additionally, the impact of surface treatment on antimicrobial activity was investigated., Results: The results demonstrated that the tensile strength (18.12 ± 0.14 MPa), elongation at break (19.23 ± 0.11%), and flexing index (20.15 ± 0.13%) of the ENS were outstanding, indicating promising performance. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays demonstrated the biocompatible nature of the ENS. The bioactivity test result of ENS showed excellent deposition of bone apatite crystals. The ENS exhibited antimicrobial properties against E. coli (3.41 ± 0.03 mm) and S. aureus (3.12 ± 0.08 mm)., Conclusions: The ENS, possessing the desired properties, has the potential to be tested in large animals for oral and maxillofacial bone and soft tissue regeneration after obtaining the necessary approvals. The developed ENS offers a promising solution for bone tissue regeneration in the oral and maxillofacial region., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Porous starch granules (PSGs) are promising biomaterials for the encapsulation, protection, and delivery of bioactive ingredients. In this study, a lipase treatment was first used to generate pores in native starch granules, and then α-amylase was used to enlarge these pores. Electron and fluorescence microscopy analysis showed that the lipase treatment exposed the starch molecules located below the lipid-rich regions on the starch granule surfaces, which increased the swelling of the granules in aqueous solutions. Moreover, lipase treatment caused the surrounding areas to become more loosely packed, which facilitated subsequent starch hydrolysis and the formation of large internal cavities. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses provided further insights, these methods showed that the short-range order, long-range order, and thermal stability of the PSGs was enhanced by the sequential lipase-amylase modification. PSGs were highly resistant to amylase digestion and had strong adsorption capacity to hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances. This study shows that a combined lipase-amylase treatment can be used to fabricate PSGs, which may have health benefits due to their low digestibility and ability to encapsulate bioactive agents. These PSGs may therefore be suitable for application in the functional food, supplement, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries.

A novel α-amylase gene (BAA) from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was cloned into Lactococcus lactis , designing two recombinant α-amylases to facilitate extracellular secretion. Following optimizing the expression conditions, the highest yield of BAA (88.12 mmol/L) was achieved upon 36 h induction and 5 ng/mL nisin concentration. Determining the enzymatic properties of BAA revealed its poor stability and activity at high temperatures, hindering its widespread application. Therefore, we used computer-aided design to generate a mutant, S275L, which exhibited significantly improved activity and thermostability: an 18.7% increase in enzymatic activity (3767.38 U/mg), a 10 °C increase in optimal temperature, and a 49.2% improvement in stability at 60 °C. Molecular dynamics simulations and force analysis confirmed these enhancements. Finally, the mutant S275L's potential was further analyzed for starch hydrolysis on poultry feed. Therefore, the mutant S275L holds promising as an enzyme agent for enhanced feed digestibility and quality.

Resistant starch (RS) is present in various natural and processed foods as well as medications. It has garnered significant attention from both scientists and consumers due to its notable health benefits. However, there is a limited understanding of how RS particles are absorbed at the cellular level and their metabolic behavior, resulting in a lack of clarity regarding the intestinal safety implications of prolonged RS exposure. Here, we demonstrate that rice-derived RS nanoparticles (RSNs) can lead to colitis in mice by triggering lysosomal exocytosis. The research shows that RSNs enter the cells through macropinocytosis and clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis and activate TRPML1 thereafter, causing the release of lysosomal calcium ions. This, in turn, triggered the TFEB signaling pathway and thus upregulated the lysosomal exocytosis level, leading to lysosomal enzymes to be released to the intestinal lumen. As a result, a decreased number of intestinal goblet cells, diminished tight junction protein expression, and imbalanced intestinal flora in mice were observed. These damages to the intestinal barrier ultimately led to the occurrence of colitis. Our study offers important insights into the cellular bioeffects and detrimental effects on intestinal health caused by RS particles and emphasizes the need to re-evaluate the safety of long-term RS consumption.

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly entering agricultural soils, often from the breakdown of agricultural plastics (e.g., mulching films). This study investigates the effects of realistic MPs from different mulching films: two conventional polyethylene (PE-1 and PE-2) and two biodegradable (starch-blended polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate; PBAT-BD-1 and PBAT-BD-2). MPs were mixed into Lufa 2.2 soil at a concentration range from 0.005 % to 5 % (w/w dry soil), wide enough to reflect both realistic environmental levels and "worst-case scenarios". Effects on Enchytraeus crypticus reproduction over two generations and six important soil properties were studied. PBAT MPs notably reduced enchytraeid reproduction in the F0 generation, with a maximum decrease of 35.5 ± 9.6 % at 0.5 % concentration. F1 generation was unaffected by PBAT contamination. PE MPs had a more substantial reproductive impact, with up to a 55.3 ± 9.7 % decrease at 5 % PE-1 concentration compared to the control, showing a dose-related effect except for 1 %. Both MP types also significantly affected soil water holding capacity, pH, and total carbon. Other soil properties remained unaffected. Our results highlight the potential negative impacts of MPs originating from real agricultural plastics on soil health and raise concerns about the role of agricultural plastics in sustainable agriculture and food safety., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Native starches have a high potential for producing capsules by electrospraying despite still being little explored as biopolymeric material. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the electrospraying capacity of native starches from different sources (cassava, corn, wheat, and sweet potato). The concentration of starch in the polymer solutions was varied from 3 % to 10 % (w/v) to investigate the impact of both starch source and concentration on the electrospraying process. The study also aimed to deepen scientific knowledge of the behavior of these starches during the process and the characteristics of the resulting capsules. The characterization of the polymeric solutions was carried out regarding rheology and electrical conductivity and the capsules were evaluated by production yield, morphology, size distribution, thermal properties, and crystallinity. Higher viscosities were observed for polymeric solutions obtained from sweet potato starch, compared to other starches at the same polymer concentrations. The increase in starch concentration in polymeric solutions reduced their electrical conductivity, except for corn starch. The production yield of cassava and sweet potato starch capsules was not affected by the polymer concentration in the polymeric solutions, while for corn and wheat starches, there was a reduction in yield as the concentration increased. All starches were able to form capsules. Capsules produced with 7 % corn starch showed a more homogeneous size distribution. The electrosprayed starches showed elevated melting temperatures and enthalpies. The capsules produced had an amorphous structure. The starches evaluated in this study proved to be excellent biopolymers for producing capsules by electrospraying, demonstrating possible future uses as encapsulating materials., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

With the growing global awareness of environmental protection, the demand for biodegradable materials to replace traditional plastic foam has become increasingly urgent. Starch-based foam, with its abundant availability, low cost, and biodegradability, has shown great potential as an alternative to plastic foam. However, its inherent high hydrophilicity and relatively low mechanical performance limit its widespread application. The aim of this study is to modify corn starch (NCS) and waste paper fiber (WPF) using citric acid (CA) and stearic acid (SA), and to develop an efficient hydrophobic coating through an organic-inorganic hybrid approach. This successfully resulted in the preparation of hydrophobic corn starch/waste paper fiber composite foam materials. Experimental results showed that the foam materials treated with a palmitic acid (PA)-modified nano-SiO 2 coating (MCF@PA) exhibited excellent hydrophobic performance, with a water contact angle reaching as high as 138°, and a significant reduction in moisture absorption to 3.1 %. In water immersion tests, the material maintained buoyancy and shape stability, demonstrating excellent self-cleaning properties. Additionally, the coating significantly enhanced the material's compressive strength, increasing by 90 kPa, while also retaining thermal stability. However, the coating prepared by this method increased the material's hardness and reduced its biodegradability, which poses challenges for environmental sustainability. This study provides a new approach for preparing high-strength foam materials with excellent hydrophobicity and mechanical performance, paving an economical and efficient pathway for industrial production., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of anthocyanins on in vitro and in vivo digestibility of potato starch were evaluated in this study. Then the influence of anthocyanins on physicochemical property of potato starch and the activity of starch digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) were also investigated to understand the mechanism of anthocyanins on starch digestibility. Results have shown that dietary anthocyanins could effectively inhibit the biological activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase to delay the peak of postprandial blood glucose. Characterization of physicochemical properties of potato starch indicates a structural change due to the presence of anthocyanins, hindering its access to starch digestive enzymes. Among all anthocyanins, lingonberry anthocyanin significantly promoted the retrogradation of potato starch (7.153 % to 25.913 %) and exert promising inhibition on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Lingonberry anthocyanins mainly interacted with potato starch through hydrogen bonds, which reduce the amount of amylose molecules leached from potato starch and loosen the three-dimensional (3D) network structure of starch gel. This study could provide theoretical evidence for utilization of anthocyanins in diabetic-management function food., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors have reviewed the manuscript and approved to submit to your journal. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Starch structure determination is crucial for understanding its properties and applications. However, method-dependent variations in size determination can lead to ambiguous interpretations. This study investigates the ambiguities in starch structure determination by evaluating the variation in size of four commercial branched starches as determined by average molar mass, gyration radius, hydrodynamic radius, and chain-length distribution. The starches were analyzed using high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) and refractive index detector (RI), and after debranching by HPSEC-RI and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with pulsed amperometric detector (PAD). MALLS-derived MW values for amylose and amylopectin were higher than those obtained using the hydrodynamic volume method. The molecular weight of amylopectin chains, determined by the degree of polymerization (DP), ranged between 2.1 and 2.9 × 10 3  g/mol for short chains, and between 4.1 × 10 3 and 1.1 × 10 4  g/mol for long chains. Differences in amylopectin chain content were observed between HPSEC-RI and HPAEC-PAD, highlighting the complementary nature of these techniques. The study underscores the need for standardizing chromatography-based methodologies in starch research, particularly with the advent of new technologies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to develop rice protein/sodium alginate (RP/SA) pH-responsive films with enhanced properties by incorporating dialdehyde starch (DAS) and Lycium ruthenicum anthocyanins (LRA) and the film was applied to monitor the fruit freshness. The effect of the DAS and LRA content on the morphology, mechanical, water barrier, oxygen barrier, ultraviolet-blocking and thermal stability properties of RP/SA-based films was investigated. The best water vapor permeability of the film was 3.33 g·mm/(m 2 ·d·kPa) with 10 % DAS. With increasing the DAS content from 0 % to 20 %, the tensile strength of the film was increased by 66.3 % compared with that of the film without DAS, while the thermal stability, oxygen barrier and ultraviolet light barrier properties were significantly enhanced. These results may be due to the formation of a compact structure observed by scanning electron microscopy, and stronger hydrogen bonding interactions and lower binding energy in the RP/SA/DAS/LRA system obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation. The RP/SA/DAS 10 /LRA 5 film had 51.6 times higher antioxidant property than the film without LRA and exhibited significant color variations with changes in fresh-cut cantaloupe quality. The developed RP/SA-based films with improved properties are potential intelligent food packaging materials., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Corn starch-based direct expanded products incorporated with 2% and 10% (w/w) sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and xylose) were produced using a 20 mm co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The pasting and thermal properties of raw corn starch-sugar mixes were analyzed before extrusion processing. The independent variables for extrusion processing included two sugar inclusion levels (2% and 10% w/w) and two screw speeds (150 and 250 rpm). The extrudates were characterized by their initial expansion ratio (IER), expansion ratio (ER), and shrinkage. ER values were high for fructose at 2% and 150 rpm and 10% glucose and sucrose extrudates at 250 rpm. The extrudates with 2% sucrose inclusion shrunk significantly higher than the control. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of the extruded blends did not indicate the presence of any new covalent bond formed between starch and sugar post-extrusion. The interactions between sugar concentration and screw speed significantly influenced extrudate expansion characteristics. Due to their thermal and plasticizing properties, sugar inclusion (glucose, fructose, sucrose, and xylose) enhanced the extrudate expansion by altering their melt viscosity. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study can improve the expansion characteristics of high-fiber-based extruded snacks. Ingredients high in fiber generally hinder the starch transformation during extrusion and negatively impact the expansion properties. The presence of sugar at low concentrations can improve melt properties during extrusion processing and, in turn, significantly improve the textural properties of snacks., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Food Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists.)

The interest in nanocomposite films incorporating edible ingredients and active nanoparticles has surged due to their potential to enhance food quality and prolong shelf-life. This research focused on developing innovative exopolysaccharides (EPS)/potato starch (PS) nanocomposite films integrated with g-C 3 N 4 and AgNO 3 . Extensive analysis was conducted to assess the microstructure, physical attributes and antimicrobial properties of these films. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis revealed electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions within the film components. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) data indicated a high level of compatibility among EPS, PS, g-C 3 N 4 , and AgNO 3 , with no new absorption peaks or characteristic signals of C 3 N 4 and Ag appearing in the nanocomposite films patterns. The thickness, water solubility and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the EPS-PS-C 3 N 4 -Ag nanocomposite film increased due to the addition of g-C 3 N 4 , reached 0.31 ± 0.03 nm, 36.61 ± 1.76 % and 1.42 ± 0.34 × 10 -10  g -1  s -1  Pa -1 , respectively. While transparency, swelling degree, and oxygen permeability (OP) significantly decreased, reached 26.18 ± 2.38 %, 63.01 ± 2.51 % and 41.98 ± 1.28 %, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) images depicted an augmented roughness and porosity on the film surface upon integration of g-C 3 N 4 and AgNO 3 . Moreover, the EPS-PS-C 3 N 4 -Ag nanocomposite film displayed enhanced mechanical strength due to the presence of g-C 3 N 4 . The melting temperature (Tm) of EPS-PS-C 3 N 4 -Ag nanocomposite film was 313.3 °C, the removal rates of DPPH and ABTS was 66.11 ± 2.87 % and 45.09 ± 1.23 % respectively. Significant inhibition of microbial growth was observed in film containing g-C 3 N 4 and AgNO 3 , which demonstrated no toxicity towards NIH-33 cells, suggesting their potential application as promising active packaging material for food preservation., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

To suppress HepG2 liver cancer cells, a nanocarrier (NC) consisting of Fe 3 O 4 , Gelatin (G), and Starch (S) was synthesized and characterized for targeted delivery of Quercetin (QC) drug. The spectra obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) demonstrated that the nanoparticles (NP) in the NC are well-interconnected to each other and have formed a regular structure. Also, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) indicates a smooth and homogeneous surface of the synthesized NC. The results of the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) also corroborated the correctness of the synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 NPs and Gelatin/Starch/Fe 3 O 4 @Quercetin NC (G/S/Fe 3 O 4 @QC) because the magnetic properties of Fe 3 O 4 decreased with the addition of G/S@QC. Stability and particle size were determined by zeta potential and Dynamic light scattering (DLS). The percentage of drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of QC in the NC was 46.25 % and 87 %, respectively. QC profile release in acidic and natural environments showed controlled release and pH sensitivity of the NC. Cytotoxicity of L929 and HepG2 treated cells with the G/S/Fe 3 O 4 @QC was investigated by MTT staining, which agreed with the flow cytometry result. The results of Flowcytometry and MTT showed 43.5 % apoptosis and 42 % cytotoxicity in treated HepG2 cells by G/S/Fe 3 O 4 @QC, while it was not toxic to L929 normal cells. According to the results, G/S/Fe 3 O 4 @QC is a suitable NC for the targeted delivery of QC as a drug against HepG2 cancer cells., 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 B.V.)

This study developed a novel method for the facile, green and efficient fabrication of highly crystalline and heat-resistant starch via recrystallization with high concentrations of debranched starch (DBS), which greatly reduced the complexity and period compared to conventional preparation methods. The structural, thermal, and digestive properties of recrystallized DBS obtained from different concentrations (0-50 %) have been systematically investigated. For instance, the peak melting temperature of recrystallized DBS increased from around 77.8 °C to 114.7 °C with increasing DBS concentration. Moreover, the crystallinity of the recrystallized DBS increased from around 23.5 % to 73.6 % when the DBS concentration was raised. In addition, the resistant starch content of the recrystallized DBS increased from around 30.8 % to 72.1 % as the DBS concentration increased. These results show that the DBS concentration in water during recrystallization plays a critical role in determining the molecular, physicochemical, and digestion properties of DBS, which may be an economical and effective method for large-scale production of highly crystalline starch and provides a new method for preparing heat-resistant type-3 resistant starch, which can be used in low glycemic index foods designed to prevent diabetes and obesity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Legumes are a widespread and cheap source of starch. However, legume starches are prone to retrogradation in applications. Therefore, enhancing the resistance to retrogradation is important to ensure the quality of starch products. In this study, the effects of amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids deep eutectic solvents (DESs) on the retrogradation properties of pea starch (PS) were investigated. The results showed that the starches treated with carboxylic acid DESs for only 30 min exhibited low paste viscosity, high paste clarity and anti-retrogradation. The carboxylic acid DESs treatment resulted in holes or cracks appearing on the starch surface, a decrease in molecular ordering, relative crystallinity, and amylose content. The thermal enthalpy of starch as well as the pasting viscosity were substantially reduced after the treatment. The paste clarity and the resistance to retrogradation were significantly improved. Conversely, the structure, pasting and retrogradation properties of starch treated with amine and alcohol DESs exhibited only slight differences compared to PS. The carboxylic acid DESs took a short time for the starch modification, and the modified starch paste with low viscosity, high clarity, and resistance to retrogradation. The study could provide an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective method for the preparation of starch with well anti-retrogradation 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The identification of fragrant rice varieties using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) models has attracted extensive attention from regulatory authorities worldwide. In this study, 138 fragrant and 54 nonfragrant rice varieties were planted in the same region and distinguished using sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (Badh2) genotyping. Then, the 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) content was assessed based on partial least-squares discriminant (PLS-DA) models generated after 2nd individually or combined with SNV/MSC/smoothing preprocessing successfully classified fragrant rice both in the calibration and predictive sets. Moreover, design of experiments (DoE)-based preprocessing selection was employed as an effective strategy to optimize the calibration models compared with the one variable at a time (OVAT) method. Further, Badh2 genotype sample screening assisted with identifying authentic fragrant rice and guaranteed the NIRS model's prediction accuracy in identifying fragrant rice. In conclusion, the high throughput PLS-DA multivariate method coupled with NIRS data was applied to identify fragrant rice varieties in routine monitoring and was effective, accurate, and rapid., 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 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nanotechnology has various applications in all branches of science, including engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and other related fields. Conventional techniques, such as the chemical reduction approach, which produces nanoparticles (NPs) using various hazardous chemicals, offer several health risks due to their toxicity and raise serious environmental concerns. In contrast, other techniques are expensive and need a lot of energy. More than 70 % of pathogenic bacterial strains have developed resistance to at least one class of antibiotics, leading to an increase in life-threatening bacterial infections that pose a significant health risk. However, the creation of NPs by biogenic synthesis is risk-free for the environment and clean enough for biological use. This study was aimed at synthesis of novel Moringa oleifera mediated starch capped silver-zinc NPs and green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from Aloe vera, papaya, and Lactobacillus plantarum. Antimicrobial activity of both NPs was tested against Gram-negative antibiotic-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), and two foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used for characterization. Majority of the research studies stress the flexibility, repeatability, and desirable features of the metals, polymers, and plant components employed in the production of biomedical nanoparticles. Such an intuitive approach provides several advantages, particularly a reasonable total expense, compliance with healthcare and pharmaceutical implementations, and the ability to produce massive volumes for industrial use. The novelty of the presented work lies in the unusual combination of silver, starch, and zinc oxide nanoparticles using Moringa oleifera, which is an eco-friendly alternative to chemical-based methods. This research exhibits the formation of well-defined nanoparticles with strong antibacterial activity against a wide range of pathogens, giving us insights into their potential applications in various biomedical fields., 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.)

Pickering emulsions can be stabilized with native rice starch (NRS), but their hydrophobicity is low. Gallic acid (GA) has a simple molecular structure and a rich variety of functional groups. Pickering emulsions can be made more stable by hydrophobically modifying the esterification reaction of NRS with GA to improve its dual wetting properties. In this study, the free radical-induced grafting method was used to prepare rice starch-GA graft copolymer (NRS-g-GA). The addition of GA could improve the crystallinity and orderliness of NRS. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1 H NMR indicated that GA was successfully grafted onto NRS. After modification, the contact angle of NRS increased from 18.2° to 60.2° (NRS-g-GA; 1:1). The emulsion prepared from NRS-g-GA showed better stability than NRS, improving the emulsification of NRS. Its stable emulsion exhibited an emulsion system dominated by elasticity. Thus, GA could be grafted onto NRS to enhance its emulsifying properties, opening up new applications for GA and NRS and promoting the development of starch-based Pickering emulsions in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Anthocyanins are often chosen as signal converters of intelligent labels. However, they are degraded by high-temperature oxidation in the process of intelligent label preparation. The color fading seriously affects the sensitivity of color development. In this study, a green 3D printing intelligent label preparation technique was developed, in which gallic acid (GA) was added to a blueberry anthocyanin (BA) solution to enhance the color of the co-pigment to ensure the color sensitivity. The combined effect of GA-BA reduced the fade rate of the anthocyanins from 35.13 % to 26.44 % at 90 °C. The printing ink has shear-thinning viscosity characteristics and yield stresses in the range of 500-600 MPa for high-quality printing. Structural analysis revealed that GA-BA co-pigmentation enhanced the interaction between ovalbumin and cassava starch. In addition, the method of 3D printing to prepare labels was conducive to solving the problem of waste in traditional labeling process. The results of freshness testing of sea shrimp proved that labels can be applied to fresh boxes to reflect the freshness of food. We provide a method for enhancing the color of 3D-printed smart ink to prepare intelligent labels with reproducible and customizable batch shapes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All coauthors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Potato starch is a natural carbohydrate binder. Starch has hydroxyl groups that can promote interaction with silicon particles using multifaceted hydrogen bonds. Maleic anhydride esterified potato starch can produce a binder that maintains the cycle stability of lithium-ion batteries. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectra show wavelengths of 1776 cm -1 and 1855 cm -1 . Thermal gravimetric analysis curves decreased in weight percent by 80 % at 286 °C. Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra show high peaks at 3.37 ppm, 3.65 ppm, 4.56 ppm, 5.09 ppm, and 6.22 ppm. Scanning electron microscope images show that the morphological change in esterified starch was due to the increased length of starch and the maleic anhydride grafted onto the starch granules. The cyclic voltammetry curve shows that the reduction peak is around 0.16 V, and the oxidation peak is around 0.38 V and 0.56 V. Nyquist plots show a small half circle, indicating that the electrode's solid-electrolyte interphase layer is low. The cycling performance shows a capacity of 1950 mAh/g., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Promising novel α-glucanotransferases with starch-converting activity have recently emerged from the CAZy GH70 GtfB subfamily. In this study, we thoroughly investigated and elucidated the impact of the newly characterized 4,6-α-glucanotransferase II Limosilactobacillus reuteri N1 GtfB (LrN1 GtfB), which was capable of synthesizing linear (α1 → 6) and branched (α1 → 4,6) linkages, on the fine structure, rheology, and retrogradation properties of pea starch (PS). The results revealed that as the reaction time increased, the total (α1 → 6) linkages in linear chains and branching points of PS increased from 5.6 % to 18.7 %, the molecular weight decreased from 7.3 × 10 6  g/mol to 7.4 × 10 4  g/mol, and the percentage of short chains (DP ≤ 12) increased from 47.4 % to 92.7 %, thereby producing low-molecular-weight, short-clustered novel reuterans with new (α1 → 6) linkages in both linear chains and branches. Additionally, LrN1 GtfB-modified PS exhibited lower storage/loss modulus and weaker creep property, indicating a significant attenuation of the strength and rigidity of the modified gel structure. Moreover, products derived from pea starch and LrN1 GtfB exhibited notably low retrogradation properties. These findings provide insights into the potential application of GtfB-type α-glucanotransferases in starch-based products, thereby producing unique-structured α-glucans with versatile properties from starch., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial or personal interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Citric acid-modified starch functions as a resistant starch, while the combined effects of its fine molecular structure and degree of substitution on gut microbiota are not well understood. To this end, citric acid-modified starches with varying degrees of substitution were synthesized from rice starches with distinct molecular structures and their impact on gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was analyzed. Notably, rice starch with a higher degree of substitution significantly reduced acetate production, while promoted butyrate production. Correlation analysis further suggested that amylopectin chains with 12 < DP ≤ 36 and amylose chains with 100 < DP ≤ 500 alter the growth of Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Bacteroides&#95;vulgatus, consequentially determining the production of SCFAs. Collectively, these findings indicate that citric acid-modified rice starch with different degrees of substitution can target specific gut bacteria and SCFA production, thus conferring beneficial impact on human health., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

The industrial use of corn starch competes with food supplies, encouraging the investigation of native starches as an alternative for its partial replacement. This study aimed to analyze the effects of replacing corn starch (CS) with wolf's fruit (WFS) and butterfly lily (BLS) starches on the physicochemical, mechanical, and biodegradation properties of starch-based films. Plasticized (with glycerin and citric acid) and unplasticized films were prepared with a microwave (10 s) and by thermopressing (1.5 t/120 °C/2 min) and were analyzed for amylose, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and paste properties. Furthermore, the biodegradability of films was tested in two soils over 42 days. Our results show that BLS is not a suitable raw material to replace corn starch. WFS with 27.5 % apparent amylose content and granule size of 12.5 μm produced films with thickness, permeability, tensile strength, and elongation of ~110 μm, ~4.8 g (m.s.Pa) -1 , ~2.5 MPa, and ~2.9 %, respectively, similar to CS. The biodegradability of WFS film showed greater resistance (≤61.4 %), increasing with the addition of plasticizers (89-93 % for WFS302) or partial replacement of CS (73-91 % for CSWFS303). These findings indicate that WFS can partially or fully replace CS in thermopressed films., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

The adsorptive potential of starch nanocrystals (SNCs) was evaluated for the elimination of methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), and malachite green (MG) from aqueous media in single, binary, and ternary dye systems using batch mode experiments. SNCs were extracted using mild acid hydrolysis to remove the amorphous parts of native granular starch, and they were characterized using different physicochemical methods, such as FESEM, XRD, FTIR, BET, TGA, and pH ZPC . The results revealed that the optimal pH for dye removal in both single and mixed dye systems was found to be 9.0. The equilibrium time increased from 5 to 20 min when the system was changed from single to binary, and then further increased to 30 min when the system was changed to ternary. The equilibrium data for single-dye systems exhibited a good fit with the Langmuir isotherm model (R 2  > 0.98, SEE <3.52 mg g -1 ), whereas for binary and ternary dye mixtures, the extended Langmuir model provided an accurate representation of the experimental data (R2 > 0.99, SEE <1.33 mg g -1 ). Among the single, binary, and ternary systems, the highest adsorption capacities were observed for MB, MB in the (MB + MG) binary system, and MB in the (MB + CV + MG) ternary system. The respective adsorption capacities were recorded as 79.55 mg g -1 , 61.91 mg g -1 , and 43.59 mg g -1 . The adsorption of dyes onto the SNCs was inherently spontaneous and endothermic, and adhered to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model in single dye systems as well as mixed dye systems. It can be concluded that the SNCs are capable of being utilized for five consecutive cycles in the adsorption-desorption process for single dye systems and three consecutive cycles for mixed dye systems. This suggests that the SNCs have potential as a sustainable and efficient option for dye removal in mixture systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An eco-friendly κ-carrageenan/potato starch bio-hydrogel is designed for the efficient removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from water. The incorporation of potato starch was successfully confirmed through XRD, FT-IR, and SEM analysis, while TGA highlighted the hydrogel's thermal stability. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated excellent MB removal efficiency, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 116.1 mg/g under optimal conditions (initial dye concentration: 100 mg/L, contact time: 180 min, temperature: 20 °C, adsorbent dosage: 1.6 g/L, and pH: 11). FT-IR analysis indicated that electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding primarily govern the adsorption process. The adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. A key feature of this bio hydrogel is its selective affinity for the cationic dye MB, in a mixture with Acid Orange (AO) and other cationic dyes (Rhodamine B (Rh B) and crystal violet (CV)). The adsorbent also demonstrated impressive reusability, maintaining 93 % of its efficiency after five cycles, highlighting its potential for sustainable and cost-effective water treatment., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fresh dough products lead to instability in product quality, high production costs, and more production time, which seriously affects the industrial production of the food industry. The frozen dough technology mitigates the problems of short shelf-life and easy deterioration of quality during storage and transportation. It has shown a series of advantages in large-scale industrialization, high-quality standardization, and chain operation. However, the further development of frozen dough is restricted by the deterioration of the main components (gluten, starch, and yeast) caused by freezing. This review summarizes the main production process of frozen steamed bread and buns, and the deterioration reasons for the main component of frozen dough. The improvement mechanisms of raw ingredients, processing technology, processing equipment, and additives on frozen dough quality were analyzed from the perspective of improving gluten network integrity and yeast freeze tolerance. From prefermented frozen raw to steamed products without thawing has become the preferred production process to improve production efficiency. Wheat flour mixed with other flour can maintain the gluten network continuity of frozen dough. The freeze tolerance of yeast was improved by treatment with yeast suspension, yeast cell encapsulation, screening hybridization, and genetic engineering. Process optimization and new technology-assisted fermentation and freezing effectively reduce freezing damage. Various additives improve the freeze resistance of the gluten-starch matrix by promoting protein cross-linking and inhibiting water migration. In addition, ice structural proteins and ice nucleating agents have been proven to change the growth morphology and formation temperature of ice crystals. More new technologies and additive synergies need to be further explored., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

This study explores the effects of four natural galactomannans (GMs) with varying degrees of branching (fenugreek gum, guar gum, tara gum and locust bean gum) on the functional properties and in vitro digestibility of wheat starch (WS). Results from rapid viscosity analysis (RVA) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis revealed that GMs with lower branching degrees were correlated with higher paste viscosity, peak viscosity, and greater water-holding capacity in the WS-GM mixtures. Additionally, these lower branching GMs more effectively inhibited amylose leaching during starch gelatinization, leading to a softer gel texture and increased transparency of the mixtures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis demonstrated that starch mixtures containing lower branching GMs exhibited reduced relative crystallinity and enthalpy values during aging. Furthermore, the incorporation of lower branching GMs resulted in decreased starch digestibility in vitro, thereby enhanced resistant starch content. These findings highlight the potential of selectively branched GMs to modulate the functional properties and nutritional profile of WS, providing a promising approach for the development of starch-based products with improved health benefits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Polyphenol complexes can improve the physicochemical and functional properties of starch. In this study, a wheat starch-Lonicera caerulea berry polyphenol complex (WS-LCBP) was prepared using dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM). The effects of different DHPM pressures (150 and 250 MPa), number of cycles (1 and 3), and LCBP content (0 %, 6 %, 8 %, and 10 %) on the multiscale structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of WS-LCBP were examined. After a single 250 MPa DHPM cycle, Average particle size and water separation rate of WS were reduced by 42.40 % and 16.67 %, the freeze-thaw stability was significantly improved (P < 0.05), and the resistant starch (RS) content 68.67 % was significantly increased (P < 0.05). WS-LCBP has a V-shaped starch structure, which hinders gelatinization and increases enthalpy. The RS content of the WS-LCBP ranged from 72.46 % to 89.09 %, which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of wheat starch subjected to a single 150 MPa DHPM cycle (36.31 %). Three 250 MPa DHPM cycles were beneficial for the formation of WS-LCBP. However, excessive DHPM treatment pressure and frequency reduced the recombination rate of LCBP and wheat starch. This study provides reference data for the industrial production of nutritionally functional wheat-resistant starch using green technologies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Multifunctional food packaging composite films were prepared using Pediococcus acidilactici J1 exopolysaccharide (EPS), potato starch (PS) and TiO 2 nanoparticles by casting method. The microstructure, physicochemical properties and antibacterial activity of EPS/PS composite films with different weight ratio of TiO 2 nanoparticles were characterized. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the uniform distribution of TiO 2 nanoparticles in the EPS/PS matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the interaction between polymers and nanoparticles through non-covalent bonds. When TiO 2 nanoparticles were added at 1 % (wt), the composite film had higher barrier properties against water vapor and UV-vis light, and better mechanical properties then EPS/PS film. Notably, EPS/PS/1%TiO 2 composite film exhibited good antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Through the analysis of the quality indexes and microbial community structure during the storage of chilled meat, the composite film slowed the oxidation rate of chilled meat and inhibited the growth of dominant spoilage bacteria, effectively extending its shelf life. All results suggested that EPS/PS/1%TiO 2 composite film could serve as an effective packaging material for chilled meat, providing a novel approach to solve its limited shelf-life problem., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Highland barley, a nutritious whole grain, faces limited market utilization due to the poor heating stability of its starch. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three differently charged ionic polysaccharides-guar gum (GG), xanthan gum (XG), and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-on the gel properties of highland barley starch (HBS). GG and XG notably increased pasting viscosity, viscoelasticity, hardness, and strength of HBS gels. Conversely, CMC resulted in decreased gel properties. All three polysaccharides enhanced OH tensile vibration (3000-3800 cm -1 ), with GG and XG promoting denser honeycomb network structures and lower spin-spin relaxation time (T 2 ), indicating improved structural integrity. In contrast, low concentrations of CMC led to disorder and loose structure. Hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions were the main forces by which polysaccharides influenced the properties of starch gels. This research contributes to enhancing the properties of HBS gel during heating and expanding its commercial applications. It also provides some insights to understand the interaction between different charged polysaccharides and starch., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)