Production of Kudzu Starch Gels with Superior Mechanical and Rheological Properties through Submerged Ethanol Exposure and Implications for In Vitro Digestion
John-Nelson Ekumah,
Xu Han,
Qiufang Liang,
Lixin Kang,
Benxi Wei,
Arif Rashid,
Muhammad Safiullah Virk,
Abdul Qayum,
Selorm Yao-Say Solomon Adade,
Nana Adwoa Nkuma Johnson,
Xiaofeng Ren
Affiliations
John-Nelson Ekumah
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Xu Han
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Qiufang Liang
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Lixin Kang
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Benxi Wei
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Arif Rashid
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Muhammad Safiullah Virk
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Abdul Qayum
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Selorm Yao-Say Solomon Adade
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Nana Adwoa Nkuma Johnson
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Xiaofeng Ren
Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 202013, China
Producing starch gels with superior mechanical attributes remains a challenging pursuit. This research sought to develop a simple method using ethanol exposure to produce robust starch gels. The gels’ mechanical properties, rheology, structural characteristics, and digestion were assessed through textural, rheological, structural, and in vitro digestion analyses. Our investigation revealed an improvement in the gel’s strength from 62.22 to178.82 g. The thermal transitions were accelerated when ethanol was elevated. The exposure to ethanol resulted in a reduction in syneresis from 11% to 9.5% over a period of 6 h, with noticeable changes in size and color. Rheologically, the dominating storage modulus and tan delta (<0.55) emphasized the gel’s improved elasticity. X-ray analysis showed stable B- and V-type patterns after ethanol exposure, with relative crystallinity increasing to 7.9%. Digestibility revealed an ethanol-induced resistance, with resistant starch increasing from 1.87 to 8.73%. In general, the exposure to ethanol played a crucial role in enhancing the mechanical characteristics of kudzu starch gels while simultaneously preserving higher levels of resistant starch fractions. These findings have wide-ranging implications in the fields of confectioneries, desserts, beverages, and pharmaceuticals, underscoring the extensive academic and industrial importance of this study.