Effects of debranched starch on physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of flat rice noodles.

Aiming to develop flat rice noodles with both desirable textural quality and lower starch digestibility, we investigated the effect of adding indica rice debranched starch (RDBS) on the quality of flat rice noodles. In this study, adding RDBS to flat rice noodles enhanced their mechanical properties. Cooking characteristic analysis showed that incorporating RDBS into dried flat rice noodles increased the rehydration ratio by 16.1 % and reduced rehydration time by 26.5 %. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the presence of microparticles formed through the self-assembly of RDBS within the network of flat rice noodles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated that the addition of RDBS elevated the crystallinity of the flat rice noodles, rising from 9.59 % to 22.57 %. In addition, the in vitro simulated digestion test suggested the addition of RDBS led to a threefold increase in the content of slowly digestible starch (SDS) and a ninefold increase in resistant starch (RS) content in flat rice noodles. This study found that adding RDBS into flat rice noodles can effectively reduce their digestion rate and improve their eating quality. It could be a promising approach for creating functional rice noodles aimed at alleviating public health concerns such as diabetes and obesity.

The effect of hydroxypropyl starch on the improvement of mechanical and cooking properties of rice noodles.

The convenient preparation of rice noodles with excellent mechanical and cooking properties remains a challenge for the food industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different hydroxypropyl starch additions on the quality, performance, and structural characteristics of rice flours and noodles by mechanical property testing, cooking characteristic analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), and other methods. SEM evaluation revealed that the addition of hydroxypropyl starch created rice noodles with a denser network structure. XRD analysis indicated a decrease in the noodle crystallinity from 11.37 % (control noodles) to 3.94 % (noodles containing 10 % hydroxypropyl starch). LF-NMR characterization confirmed an enhanced water-holding capacity of noodles containing hydroxypropyl starch. The noodle tensile strain increased from 54.97 ± 0.45 % in control noodles to 100.63 ± 1.58 % in noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch. The cooking loss of dried noodles decreased from 8.30 ± 0.57 % (control noodles) to 5.67 ± 0.16 % (noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch), and the broken rates were reduced from 77.50 ± 1.54 % of the control noodles to 12.50 ± 1.54 % of the noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch. The addition of 3 % hydroxypropyl starch can improve the quality of rice noodles and promote the development of the rice industry.

Recent advances in the preparation, characterization, and food application of starch-based hydrogels.

Although synthetic polymer hydrogels have excellent mechanical properties, they are not easily degraded, are toxic, and easily cause environmental pollution. Therefore, starch-based hydrogels have attracted great interest due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. First of all, this review describes in detail the preparation of starch-based hydrogels by physical retrogradation method and chemical crosslinking methods, as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the performance of the hydrogels. Moreover, the commonly used methods to characterize starch-based hydrogels and the properties of responsive (thermo-, pH-, and enzyme-responsive) starch-based hydrogels have also attracted wide attention from researchers. In addition, the applications of starch-based hydrogels in starch noodles, treatment of sewage from the food industry, and food bioactive ingredient carriers are discussed. Furthermore, prospects and future directions of starch-based hydrogels are discussed. We believe that this review provides a valuable reference for the efficient preparation and application of starch-based hydrogels.