Rubí G. Utrilla-Coello

Pasta with unripe banana flour: physical, texture, and preference study.

Banana is a starchy food that contains a high proportion of undigestible compounds such as resistant starch and nonstarch polysaccharides. Products with low glycemic response such as pasta are considered favorable to health. The objective of this study was to use unripe banana flour to make spaghetti with low-carbohydrates digestibility and evaluate its physical and texture characteristics, as well as consumer preference. Formulations with 100% durum wheat semolina (control) and formulations with 3 semolina: banana flour ratios (85: 15, 70: 30, and 55: 45) were prepared for spaghetti processing. The use of banana flour decreased the lightness and diameter of cooked spaghetti, and increased the water absorption of the product. Hardness and elasticity of spaghetti were not affected by banana flour, but adhesiveness and chewiness increased as the banana flour level in the blend rose. Spaghettis prepared in the laboratory (control and those with banana flour) did not show differences in preference by consumers. In general, the preference of spaghettis with different banana flour level was similar. The addition of a source of undigestible carbohydrates (banana flour) to spaghetti is possible without affecting the consumer preference.

Physicochemical and Enzyme Characterization of Small and Large Starch Granules Isolated from Two Maize Cultivars

ABSTRACT In this study, some morphological, physicochemical, and the initial characterization of the starch granule enzymes of blue and white maizes of small and large granules are described. Starch was isolated from blue and white maizes, and the small and large granules were separated. The efficiency of separation was higher in large granules than small of the blue maize starch. The amylose content was slightly greater (1.3%) in large granules than smaller in both starches studied. No differences in the average gelatinization temperature were found between large and small granules, but the enthalpy of gelatinization value was higher in the small granules. The electrophoretic pattern showed that the granule-bound starch synthase (GBSSI) had higher expression in large than small granules and that explain the higher amylose content in the former granules. The differences showed in the starch biosynthesis enzymes in small and large granules might explain partially the physicochemical and functional properti...

Blue Maize: Morphology and Starch Synthase Characterization of Starch Granule

The use of pigmented maize varieties has increased due to their high anthocyanins content, but very few studies are reported about the starch properties of these grains. The aim of this work was to isolate the starch granules from pigmented blue maize and carry out the morphological, physicochemical, and biochemical characterization studies. The proximate composition of starch granules showed high protein contents, after purification, the blue maize starch presented lower protein amount than starch from white maize (control). Although the purity of starch granules was increased, the damaged starch (determined for the Maltase cross absence) was also increased. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of some pores and channels in the blue maize starch. The electrophoretic protein profiles showed differences in the bands that correspond to the enzymes involved in the starch biosynthesis; these differences could explain the variation in morphological characteristics of blue maize starches against starch from white maize.

Banana and mango flours.

Publisher Summary Flours obtained from unripe fruits such as mango and banana are an important source of indigestible carbohydrates and polyphenol compounds. Banana is a climateric fruit cultivated in many countries, primarily those located in the tropical and subtropical regions, and it represents a major staple. Annual world production of banana is approximately 104 millions tons. The chemical composition of banana varieties depends of the ripening state; however, agronomic traits, the type of soil, and climatic conditions alter the major and minor components of the fruit. Mango fruits are harvested at a mature green stage and stored for ripening. When fruit is fully grown and ready for picking, the stem snaps easily. The main components of mango are water and carbohydrates, with small amounts of dietary fruit (DF), protein, lipid, and vitamins. These fruits have significant amounts of associated bioactive compounds (flavonoids, carotenoids, etc.) and a more balanced composition. Mango and banana flours can reduce the glycemic response. Unripe banana flour can be modified by enzymatic and chemical treatments to increase the amount of indigestible carbohydrates. Mango and banana flours can be added to diverse bakery products, and evaluation of their nutraceutical potential is necessary.

In Vitro Starch Digestibility of Gluten-Free Spaghetti Based on Maize, Chickpea, and Unripe Plantain Flours

Gluten-free and high indigestible carbohydrate food development is a topic that deserves investigation because of an increased focus on gluten intolerance and celiac disease and on metabolic disorders caused by overweight and obesity. Here, chickpea and maize flours were used as sources of protein and carbohydrate (because of the level used in the mixture) and unripe plantain as an indigestible carbohydrate source in composite gluten-free spaghetti elaboration. The mixture of unripe plantain, chickpea, and maize was used at different levels to prepare spaghetti (samples S15Pla and S25Pla); control pasta was made of 100% semolina (S100Sem), and a 100% unripe plantain flour (S100Pla) pasta was also evaluated. In vitro amylolysis rate of fresh and stored (three and five days) spaghetti was assessed. The spaghetti with 100% unripe plantain (S100Pla) had higher resistant starch (RS) content than the control sample and the two cooked composite gluten-free spaghettis (S15Pla, S25Pla), and RS further increased wi...