Changes in rheology and components during the processing of Chinese traditional handmade hollow dried noodle.

The study of the changes in rheological properties and components during the processing of Chinese traditional handmade hollow dried noodle (HHDN) is essential to explaining the excellent quality of HHDN. The dynamic oscillation frequency sweep, stress relaxation, and uniaxial extension characteristics of the dough after kneading, stretching, and resting were investigated at six sampling points during the processing of HHDN. The result showed that stretching led to an increase in G' and G0, and a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in extensibility from 131.02 mm to 57.99 mm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to observe the microstructure of the gluten network, which was destroyed during stretching and restored during resting. Studies of changes in components showed that the stretching process resulted in a decrease in GMP content from 3.24 (g/100 g) to 3.18 (g/100 g), and the resting process resulted in ß-sheets decreasing significantly (P < 0.05). The degree of starch pasting increased significantly (P < 0.05) after stretching. The results of the correlation analysis showed that components changes were highly correlated with the rheological properties during the processing of HHDN.

Alkali-Induced Protein Structural, Foaming, and Air-Water Interfacial Property Changes and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Buckwheat Sourdough Liquor.

In this study, the protein structural, foaming, and air-water interfacial properties in dough liquor (DL) ultracentrifugated from buckwheat sourdough with different concentrations of an alkali (1.0-2.5% of sodium bicarbonate) were investigated. Results showed that the alkali led to the cross-linking of protein disulfide bonds through the oxidation of free sulfhydryl groups in DL. The alterations in protein secondary and tertiary structures revealed that the alkali caused the proteins in DL to fold, decreased the hydrophobicity, and led to a less flexible but compact structure. The alkali accelerated the diffusion of proteins and decreased the surface tension of DL. In addition, the alkali notably improved the foam stability by up to 34.08% at 2.5% concentration, mainly by increasing the net charge, reducing the bubble size, and strengthening the viscoelasticity of interfacial protein films. Quantitative proteomic analysis showed that histones and puroindolines of wheat and 13S globulin of buckwheat were closely related to the changes in the alkali-induced foaming properties. This study sheds light on the mechanism of alkali-induced improvement in gas cell stabilization and the buckwheat sourdough steamed bread quality from the aspect of the liquid lamella.

A Review of the Impact of Starch on the Quality of Wheat-Based Noodles and Pasta: From the View of Starch Structural and Functional Properties and Interaction with Gluten.

Starch, as a primary component of wheat, plays a crucial role in determining the quality of noodles and pasta. A deep understanding of the impact of starch on the quality of noodles and pasta is fundamentally important for the industrial progression of these products. The starch structure exerts an influence on the quality of noodles and pasta by affecting its functional attributes and the interaction of starch-gluten proteins. The effects of starch structure (amylopectin structure, amylose content, granules size, damaged starch content) on the quality of noodles and pasta is discussed. The relationship between the functional properties of starch, particularly its swelling power and pasting properties, and the texture of noodles and pasta is discussed. It is important to note that the functional properties of starch can be modified during the processing of noodles and pasta, potentially impacting the quality of the end product, However, this aspect is often overlooked. Additionally, the interaction between starch and gluten is addressed in relation to its impact on the quality of noodles and pasta. Finally, the application of exogenous starch in improving the quality of noodles and pasta is highlighted.

The Effect of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Sodium on the Proofing Tolerance and Quality of Frozen Dough Steamed Bread.

This study investigated the effects of dough proofing degree (1.1, 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7 mL/g) and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na) on the quality of frozen dough steamed bread (FDSB). As the dough proofing degree was increased from 1.1 to 1.7 mL/g, the specific volume of FDSB initially increased and then decreased, with the maximum at 1.3 mL/g, and then dramatically decreased at 1.5 and 1.7 mL/g, accompanied by a harder texture and secession of crust and crumb, which were the detrimental effects brought by over-proofing. The optimal amount of CMC-Na effectively alleviated the deterioration associated with over-proofing, and the proofing tolerance of FDSB was increased from 1.3 mL/g to 1.7 mL/g. Fermentation analysis showed that CMC-Na significantly improved the extensibility and gas-holding capacity of the dough by increasing the maximum height of the dough (Hm) and the emergence time (T1) of Hm. Frequency sweep tests indicated that CMC-Na improved the plasticity of proofed dough by increasing loss factor tan δ. Significant reductions were found in peak viscosity and complex modulus G* in pasting properties tests and temperature sweep measurements, respectively, suggesting that CMC-Na influenced starch gelatinization and dough stiffening during steaming, which promoted the extension of the network structure, thus facilitating gas expansion and diffusion. These property changes theoretically explained the improvement in the proofing tolerance of FDSB by CMC-Na.

Insights into the effect mechanism of acidic pH condition on the in vitro starch digestion of black highland barley semi-dried noodles.

In this study, black highland barley semi-dried noodles (BHBSNs) were adjusted to acidic pH (5.0, 4.5, 4.0) with an acidity regulator (monosodium fumarate) for obtaining low glycemic index (GI) BHBSNs, and the changes in the in vitro starch digestion, free phenolic content, and α-amylase activity in BHBSNs were investigated. The estimated glycemic index (eGI) of BHBSNs decreased from 59.23 to 52.59, 53.89 and 53.61, respectively, as the pH was adjusted from 6.0 to 5.0, 4.5, 4.0. As the pH of BHBSNs decreased, the equilibrium hydrolysis (C∞) decreased, and kinetic coefficient (k) decreased and then increased. Compared to the control, the pH of the digestive fluid decreased during digestion with decreasing pH, and the α-amylase inhibition of BHBSNs with pH 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0 increased by 56.54 %, 75.18 %, and 107.98 %, respectively. In addition, as the pH of BHBSNs decreased, the free phenolic content and the content of released phenolics during digestion increased. Pearson correlations analysis showed that the increase in α-amylase inhibition and phenolic release during digestion induced by acidic pH was negatively correlated with the eGI and C∞ of BHBSNs. This study indicated that acidic pH condition could modulate starch digestion for preparing low GI BHBSNs.

Insights into the enhancement mechanism of immersion resistance of cooked noodles induced by wheat flour post-ripening: The view from protein cross-linking.

To overcome the problem that takeaway noodles possessed poor immersion resistance, in this study noodles were prepared from post-ripened wheat flour, and changes in textural properties, protein components, and water status of noodles were determined. The firmness and tensile distance of noodles were gradually increased by 7.40%-35.88% when wheat flour was post-ripened for 20-40 d. Afterwards, noodle textural qualities were slightly decreased. Compared with control groups, contents of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and disulfide bonds were significantly (p<0.05) increased and protein network was also more compact, whereas the Glutenin/Gliadin ratio and free sulfhydryl groups content were significantly (p<0.05) reduced. Contents of sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) were reduced by 3.22%-6.23%. Meanwhile, the decrease in A23 indicated that wheat flour post-ripening limited water-absorbing capacity of noodles during immersion. In conclusion, wheat flour post-ripening promoted the immersion resistance of noodles by inducing protein cross-linking, and the best post-ripening time was 20-40 d.

The pan-cancer landscape of glutamate and glutamine metabolism: A comprehensive bioinformatic analysis across 32 solid cancer types.

Glutamine metabolism is a hallmark of cancer metabolism, which matters in the progression of the tumor. This synthetic study conducted a large-scale systematic analysis at the pan-cancer level on the glutamate and glutamine metabolism (GGM) across 32 solid tumors from the TCGA database. The glutamine metabolism activity was quantified through a scoring system. This study revealed that the GGM score in tumor tissues was up-regulated in 13 cancer types (BCLA, BRCA, COAD, KICH, KIRP, LUAD, LUSC, PAAD, PRAD, READ, STAD, THYM, UCEC) and down-regulated in 4 cancer types (CHOL, GBM, LIHC, THCA), exhibiting tissue specificity. The mRNA expression levels of glutamine metabolism-related genes were relatively high, and GLUL exhibited the highest expression level. The expression levels were up-regulated with copy number amplification. ALDH18A1, PYCR1, and PYCR2 show a significant upregulation in protein levels in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues, making them potential pan-cancer therapeutic targets. For the TME related to glutamine metabolism, the GGM score exhibited significant immune and stromal environment inhibitory effects in all involved tumors. Up-regulated GGM score indicated the widespread promotion of drug resistance at the pan-cancer level. GGM score and glutamine metabolism-related genes signature tended to be risk factors for the overall survival of cancer patients.

Insights into the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced changes in the dough mechanical properties and quality characteristics of fresh noodles.

This study investigated the effects of ethanol (0 %∼6%) on the dough mechanical properties and quality characteristics of fresh noodles and elucidated the relationship between the above changes and physicochemical, structural, and molecular properties of gluten. Ethanol reduced the water absorption (from 59.00 % to 52.33 %), stability time (from 8.17 min to 3.33 min) and viscoelasticity of dough, and increased the development time, weakening degree and compliance. Ethanol also decreased the fracture stress of dough sheet, and increased fracture elongation and adhesiveness (from 46.15 g·s to 75.88 g·s). Ethanol decreased the noodles' hardness (from 5347.41 g to 4442.34 g), break force, tensile distance, and water absorption, while cooking loss was increased. SEM and CLSM showed that ethanol destroyed the compactness of internal structure and inhibited the formation of gluten network in noodles. According to the results of SE-HPLC and RP-HPLC, ethanol dissolved part of the gliadin and inhibited the polymerization of protein.

Humidity-controlled heat treatment of fresh spinach noodles for color preservation and storage quality improvement.

The high sensitivity to color browning during room-temperature storage was a significant factor in limiting the development of fresh spinach noodles (FSN). The practice of humidity-controlled heat treatment (HCHT) at varying temperatures, relative humidity, and time was carried out to limit enzyme activity and improve the quality of FSN. Results showed that HCHT could maximize the color preservation of fresh spinach noodle quality while effectively inactivating polyphenol oxidase and the yeasts, and mold count in FSN during storage was almost undetectable after mild conditions (80 °C). The hardness and chewiness of HCHT noodles were significantly increased, but the free sulfhydryl content was reduced. At 80 °C, 90 %, 5 min, protein structural aggregation was found in the microstructure of HCHT fresh spinach noodles. HCHT also caused partial gelatinization, as evidenced by the decrease in starch gelatinization enthalpy from 5.49 to 4.77 J/g, although the gelatinization degree of FSN was comparatively low.

The role of N6-methyladenosine methylation in PAHs-induced cancers.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are a wide range of environmental toxicants, may act on humans through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact, resulting in a range of toxic reactions. Epidemiological studies showed that long-term exposure to PAHs in the occupational and living environment results in a substantial rise in the incidence rate of many cancers in the population, so the prevention and treatment of these diseases have become a major worldwide public health problem. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification greatly affects the metabolism of RNA and is implicated in the etiopathogenesis of many kinds of diseases. In addition, m6A-binding proteins have an important role in disease development. The abnormal expression of these can cause the malignant proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis of cancers. Furthermore, a growing number of studies revealed that environmental toxicants are one of the cancer risk factors and are related to m6A modifications. Exposure to environmental toxicants can alter the methylation level of m6A and the expression of the m6A-binding protein, thus promoting the occurrence and development of cancers through diverse mechanisms. m6A may serve as a biomarker for early environmental exposure. Through the study of m6A, we can find the health injury early, thus providing a new sight for preventing and curing environmental health-related diseases.

The effect of chitosan oligosaccharides on the shelf-life and quality of fresh wet noodles.

In this study, the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on the microbial stability and quality properties of fresh wet noodles were evaluated. The addition of COS prolonged the shelf-life of fresh wet noodles at 4 °C by 3-6 days and effectively inhibited the growth of acidity value. However, the presence of COS increased the cooking loss of noodles significantly (P < 0.05) and decreased the hardness as well as tensile strength significantly (P < 0.05). The enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH) was decreased by COS in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Meanwhile, the addition of COS decreased the relative crystallinity of starch (from 24.93 % to 22.38 %) without changing the type of X-ray diffraction pattern, revealing that COS weakened the structural stability of starch. In addition, COS was observed to impair the development of compact gluten network by confocal laser scanning micrographs. Further, the free-sulfhydryl groups content and sodium dodecyl sulphate-extractable protein (SDS-EP) values of cooked noodles increased significant (P < 0.05), confirming the obstruction on the polymerization of gluten proteins during the hydrothermal process. Although COS adversely affected the quality of noodles, it was outstanding and feasible for the preservation of fresh wet noodles.

Effect of sorbitol on the in vitro starch digestibility in semi-dried black highland barley noodles.

Sorbitol is commonly used in semi-dried noodles for holding water, thus extending the shelf life. This research analyzed the effect of sorbitol on the in vitro starch digestibility in semi-dried black highland barley noodles (SBHBN). In vitro starch digestion revealed that the hydrolysis extent and digestive rate decreased with increasing sorbitol addition, although its inhibition abated when added >2 %. Compared with the control, adding 2 % of sorbitol lowered the equilibrium hydrolysis (C∞) significantly (P < 0.05) from 75.18 to 66.57 % and decreased the kinetic coefficient (k) significantly (P < 0.05) by 20.29 %. Adding sorbitol increased the tightness of microstructure, relative crystallinity, V-type crystal, molecular structure order, and hydrogen bond strength of starch in cooked SBHBN. Meanwhile, gelatinization enthalpy change (ΔH) of starch in raw SBHBN was increased by adding sorbitol. In addition, the swelling power and amylose leaching in SBHBN added with sorbitol were reduced. Pearson correlations analysis observed significant (P < 0.05) correlations among short-range ordered structure, ΔH, and related in vitro starch digestion indexes of SBHBN after being added with sorbitol. These results revealed that sorbitol might form hydrogen bonds with starch, making it a potential additive to lower the eGI in starchy foods.

The prognostic value and response to immunotherapy of immunogenic cell death-associated genes in breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BRCA) remains the most prevalent cancer worldwide and the tumor microenvironment (TME) has been discovered to exert a wide influence on the overall survival and therapeutic response. Numerous lines of evidence reported that the effects of immunotherapy of BRCA were manipulated by TME. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a form of regulated cell death (RCD) that is capable of fueling adaptive immune responses and aberrant expression of ICD-related genes (ICDRGs) can govern the TME system by emitting danger signals or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In the current study, we obtained 34 key ICDRGs in BRCA. Subsequently, using the transcriptome data of BRCA from the TCGA database, we constructed a risk signature based on 6 vital ICDRGs, which had a good performance in predicting the overall survival of BRCA patients. We also examined the efficacy of our risk signature in the validation dataset (GSE20711) in the GEO database and it performed excellently. According to the risk model, patients with BRCA were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. Also, the unique immune characteristics and TME between the two subgroups and 10 promising small molecule drugs targeting BRCA patients with different ICDRGs risk have been investigated. The low-risk group had good immunity indicated by T cell infiltration and high immune checkpoint expression. Moreover, the BRCA samples could be divided into three immune subtypes according to immune response severity (ISA, ISB, and ISC). ISA and ISB predominated in the low-risk group and patients in the low-risk group exhibited a more vigorous immune response. In conclusion, we developed an ICDRGs-based risk signature that can predict the prognosis of BRCA patients and offer a novel therapeutic strategy for immunotherapy, which would be of great significance in the BRCA clinical setting.

Inhibitory mechanism of sodium hexametaphosphate on enzymatic browning in yellow alkaline noodles.

The effect and mechanism of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic browning in yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) were investigated. The browning degree and PPO activity in YAN or PPO solutions decreased with the SHMP concentrations increased. Variations in pH values (pH 7-8.5) adjusted by HCl or acetic acid slightly affected the PPO activity, but SHMP inhibited PPO activity more pronounced. The inhibition of SHMP on PPO activity was irreversible. SHMP formed coordinate covalent bonds with Cu2+ to make PPO inactive. HPLC analysis revealed that SHMP reduced the browning products and led to the color of PPO-catechol systems being lightened. Furthermore, SHMP inhibited browning by hampering the auto-oxidization of intermediate products due to the change in pH value. Besides, the HPLC chromatogram, UV-vis spectrum, and mass spectrometry revealed that SHMP could convert melanin (m/z 248.97, 723.5, and 836.58) to light-colored substances (m/z 137.11).

Insights into heat-induced molecular-level interactions between wheat and common buckwheat proteins.

This study investigated the heat-induced interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins by heating wheat proteins, buckwheat albumin, globulin, and mixtures of wheat flour with buckwheat albumin/globulin at 50, 65, 80, 95, and 100 °C. The results showed that the cross-linking reactions of wheat glutenin with buckwheat albumin and globulin initiated at 80 and 95 °C, respectively. Buckwheat albumin decreased the extractability of α-gliadin by 35 % at 95 °C and 5.9 % at 100 °C. The linkage of buckwheat globulin to wheat glutelin prevented part of the wheat gliadin from linking to glutelin, resulting in the extractability of α- and γ-gliadin increased by 8.6 % and 11 % at 95 °C, respectively. The chemical forces results indicated that interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins were primarily driven by disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a theoretical basis for better regulating the wheat-buckwheat protein network to improve the quality of buckwheat-enriched products.

Structural changes and components' interactions alter the digestion property of in-kernel starch from thermally processed Tibetan Qingke.

Thermal processing has been applied to the property modification of the pure Tibetan Qingke (TQ) starch, but few studies attempt to elucidate the changes in physicochemical properties of in-kernel starches under whole TQ kernels thermal processing. In this study, the molecular, structural, and digestive characteristics of SUTQ, SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ (starches isolated from unprocessed, heat fluidized, microwave irradiated, and baked TQ, respectively) were measured to elucidate the effects of different thermal treatments on the in-kernel starch. After TQ thermal treatments, the amylose/amylopectin ratio increased to 0.71, 0.64, and 0.68 for SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, respectively, while the molecular weight of in-kernel starches decreased by 39.29 %-82.14 %. Furthermore, the damage degree of starch surface morphology ranked as: SHTQ > SBTQ > SMTQ. The entanglement action between protein network resulting from protein polymerization and gelatinized starch aggregations exhibited most obvious in SHTQ. Moreover, the increased fluorescence intensity, newly formed dark color rings, and disrupted Maltese cross were observed in SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, and their variation trends were consistent with the damage degree of starch surface morphology. SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ showed the decreased relative crystallinity (1.79 %, 15.98 %, and 14.64 %), short-range order (0.64, 0.81, and 0.80), and double helix structures (0.48, 0.61, and 0.58) and increased degree of gelatinization (100 %, 38 %, and 45.51 %), which partially transformed slowly digested starch into rapidly digested starch. In particularly, the formation of more ordered structures (V-type crystalline and interaction between protein and starch) induced by heat fluidization treatment provided the greatest thermal stability and highest resistant starch content (42.1 %) for SHTQ. Heat fluidization was a promising thermal processing for the development of TQ or TQ starch-based functional foods.

Effect of Fermentation on the Quality of Dried Hollow Noodles and the Related Starch Properties.

Crumbly dough fermentation was applied to produce dried hollow noodles, with Lactobacillus plantarum, Koji and yeast as the main fermenting agents. The cooking, textural and digestive properties of the noodles were studied, followed by the morphological, crystalline and thermal properties of the starch. The results show that, compared to unfermented noodles, the optimal cooking time of Koji pre-fermented noodles (KJHN) decreased from 460 s to 253 s, and they possessed a higher percentage of weakly bound water and degree of gelatinization at the same cooking time. After cooking, KJHN had a softer texture and higher starch digestibility. In addition, the physicochemical properties of the KJHN and Lactobacillus plantarum pre-fermented noodles (LPHN) showed a decrease in pH and amylose content, and an increase in reducing sugars content. The starch extracted from KJHN and LPHN had significant superficial erosion and pore characteristics, and the gelatinization enthalpy, relative crystallinity and short-range order were all increased. These changes in the starch properties and the quality characteristics of noodles resulting from Koji fermentation might provide a reference for the development of easy-to-cook and easy-to-digest noodles.

Effect of Tartary Buckwheat Bran Substitution on the Quality, Bioactive Compounds Content, and In Vitro Starch Digestibility of Tartary Buckwheat Dried Noodles.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of partial replacement of Tartary buckwheat flour (TBF) with Tartary buckwheat bran flour (TBBF) on the quality, bioactive compounds content, and in vitro starch digestibility of Tartary buckwheat dried noodles (TBDNs). When the substitution of TBBF was increased from 0 to 35%, the cooking and textural properties decreased significantly (p < 0.05), while the content of bioactive compounds (phenolic, flavonoids and dietary fiber) increased significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, the substitution of TBBF decreased the starch digestibility of TBDNs. A 10.4% reduction in eGI values was observed in the TBDNs with 35% TBBF substitution compared to the control sample. The results of differential scanning calorimetry showed that with the increase of TBBF, TBDNs starch became more resistant to thermal processing. Meanwhile, the X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results revealed that the long- and short-range ordered structures of TBDN starch increased significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the substitution of TBBF decreased the fluorescence intensity of α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. This study suggests that replacing TBF with TBBF could produce low glycemic index and nutrient-rich TBDNs.

Effect of Bacteria Content in Wheat Flour on Storage Stability of Fresh Wet Noodles.

The effect of bacteria content in wheat flour on shelf life and storage stability of fresh wet noodles (FWNs) was evaluated in this study. Nine kinds of wheat flour with different bacterial contents were selected to make FWNs. With the increase in total plate count (TPC) from 120 CFU/g to 5500 CFU/g in flour, the shelf life of FWNs decreased from 23 d to 9 d at 4 °C. During storage, the acidity increased, which was significantly correlated with the change of TPC (p < 0.05), and the pH value and L* value of FWNs decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Changes in viscosity characteristics of starch components were also detected, the higher the TPC in flour, the more obvious the viscosity decreased. Moreover, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that with the deterioration of FWNs, some low molecular weight protein subunits increased; texture analysis showed that the hardness of noodles increased firstly and then decreased, the adhesiveness increased and the springiness decreased during storage. In summary, choosing flour with low TPC to prepare FWNs can extend the shelf life and slow down the quality deterioration of FWNs during storage at 4 °C.