Xie Bi-jun

Granule Size and Distribution of Raw and Germinated Oat Starch in Solid State and Ethanol Solution

The morphology and granular properties of oat starch during germination were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffractometer. The granule size distribution of oat starch was studied in various concentrations in ethanol using a laser particle-size analyzer. The starch granule shape before germination remained almost the same after germination, as shown by low-magnification (×1000) scanning electron microscopy. However, surface fissures at high-magnification (×5000) were found on the sample at the end of germination. After soaking, the relative crystallinity of the samples significantly reduced, by following increased and then decreased, reaching a maximum crystallinity of 16% at the end of germination. In various ethanol concentrations, the size of starch granules produced in different germination phase slightly varied, but this difference was not easy to detect in the scanning electron microscope ×1000 images. Overall, the particle size of oat starch generally decreased and the specific surface area increased significantly during oat germination.

In vitro dynamic adsorption properties of sulfated glucomannan gel beads

Sulfated konjac glucomannan gel beads(KGMSB) were prepared, its dynamic adsorption abilities for blood low-density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL+VLDL-C) and the effect on hemorheology were studied. Konjac glucomannan(KGM) was used as raw material, after cross-linked by epichlorohybrin solution, and was then prepared into gel beads, hardened, and sulfated, final product KGMSB was obtained. The structure of KGMSB was observed by SEM. SEM analysis shows that KGMSB possesses cross-linked porous network structure. In vitro dynamic adsorption indicates that the adsorption rate for total cholesterol(TC), low-density and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL+VLDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) of KGMSB are (62.10±7.96)%, (63.42±8.27)%, (40.25±5.73)% (n=6), respectively. The ratio of HDL-C/LDL-C is increased by (30.12±7.07)%. The hemorheology studies show that whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity are changed significantly (p<0.05). KGMSB can selectively adsorb LDL+VLDL-C from the whole blood, it can also reduce the blood viscosity and modulate hemorheology properties. KGMSB is a potential material to be developed into a novel blood LDL adsorbent.