Formulation and Evaluation of Chitosan/NaCl/Maltodextrin Microparticles as a Saltiness Enhancer: Study on the Optimization of Excipients for the Spray-Drying Process

Spray-dried chitosan/NaCl/maltodextrin microparticles have the potential to be used to enhance saltiness; however, its notable hygroscopicity results in handling and storage problems, thus limiting its application. In the present study, we attempted to introduce maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and waxy starch (WS) as excipients into the spray drying formulation of microparticles to reduce the cohesiveness and caking behavior and improve the yield simultaneously by ameliorating the moisture absorption tendency. The prepared microparticles showed a spherical appearance and had particle sizes ranging from 6.29 to 7.64 μm, while the sizes of the NaCl crystals embedded in the microparticles were 0.36 to 1.24 μm. The crystalline reflections of WS and MCC were retained in the microparticles after the spray-drying process. The handling properties were assessed to be acceptable. The formulation with only maltodextrin as the excipient showed a high moisture absorption rate of 2.83 g/100 g·h and a caking strength of 3.27 kg. The addition of MCC and WS significantly reduced the hygroscopic rate and caking strength. The spray-dried products provided better saltiness perception than native NaCl; as such, they may be promising for seasoning dry food products to achieve sodium intake reduction in the food industry.

Biodegradable Blends of Thermoplastic Waxy Starch and Poly(ε-caprolactone) Obtained by High Shear Extrusion: Rheological, Mechanical, Morphological and Thermal Properties

The aim of this work was to develop polymer blends of plasticized thermoplastic waxy starch (TPS) and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) using the largest amount of TPS possible to obtain a biodegradable material motivated by sustainability issues and to replace petrochemical-based polymers with alternatives based on biopolymers. Addition of TPS to other polymers has been used to obtain cheaper and increasingly biodegradable final products. However, TPS presents limited mechanical properties, and mixing with other polymers such as PCL is necessary to overcome these limitations and improve its processability. TPS was processed by extrusion and thermo-compression using 30 wt% glycerol. The blends were suitably processed by extrusion and further injected. The TPS/PCL blends were studied by varying the amount of PCL in a range of 10 wt% in increasing order of addition. Thermal analysis showed that introducing PCL in TPS increased Tonset because of the higher thermal stability of the former, and that the obtained blends presented a behavior intermediate to that of neat polymers.

Functionality of cassava genotypes for waxy starch

The objective of this work was to select cassava (Manihot esculenta) genotypes from the Brazilian germplasm bank with a functionality similar to that of waxy starch. A total of 881 genotypes were pre-selected using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, and their industrial potential was compared with that of the 7745-5WX waxy cassava and the WX-Maize waxy maize clones, both used as references. Two genotypes stood out: BGM0036 and BGM0083. Samples from these four genotypes were characterized by means of amylose content, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, paste viscosity, and chain-length distribution of amylopectin. The samples presented A-type crystallinity and no statistical differences (p > 0.05) regarding crystallinity degree (25.3 to 30.0), which shows similar proportions of the amylose/amylopectin fractions. No differences were observed in the microstructure of the cassava starches. Initial gelatinization temperature and amylopectin short chains presented a very strong negative correlation, indicating that a lower proportion of short chains of amylopectin results in a higher initial temperature of gelatinization. BGM0036 and BGM0083 show a low final viscosity, close to that of the waxy maize and cassava starches, being an alternative for use in different foods that require stability during freezing.

Design, Rheology and Physicochemical Characterizations of Oil-in-water Emulsions Stabilized by Waxy Starch Derivatives

Simple emulsions (o/w) stabilized by octenyl succinic anhydrous (OSA) starch were studied. They were characterized by the evaluation of the rheological and physicochemical properties and, the observation under the light microscope in combination with granulometric analysis after formulation. The obtained results demonstrated the effects of the amount of OSA starch on the variation of the diameter of particles, stability of emulsions and their rheological behavior. The best characteristics were found in the emulsion with a ratio 40/60 (o/w) at high OSA starch concentration, because the substitution of the oil phase by the network created by the chains of the modified polysaccharides which could be the major factor in stabilisation of emulsions.

Effect of Carrier Agents on the Physicochemical and Technofunctional Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of Freeze-Dried Pomegranate Juice (Punica granatum) Powder

The physicochemical and technofunctional properties and antioxidant capacity of freeze-dried “Wonderful” pomegranate juice powder (PJP), produced with different carrier agents, were investigated. Powders were produced using maltodextrin, gum Arabic, and waxy starch as carrier agents and characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size distribution. Results showed that PJP produced with maltodextrin had the highest yield (46.6%), followed by gum arabic (40.6%), while waxy starch had the least yield (35.4%). Powders produced with maltodextrin (96.5%) and gum arabic (96.1%) were highly soluble, which indicates better reconstitution properties. Waxy starch-added PJP had the lowest hygroscopicity (4.7%), which offers good stability during storage and a lower degree of caking compared to maltodextrin (10.2%) and gum arabic (12.6%) powders. Powders obtained from maltodextrin and gum arabic exhibited larger particle diameters ranging between 12 to 120 µm while the lowest particle diameter range was with powders formed from waxy starch (8–40 µm). Freeze-dried pomegranate powder produced with maltodextrin retained more redness (a*) by approximately 44%, compared to gum arabic. Similarly, PJP with maltodextrin and gum arabic had higher total soluble solids (10.3 and 10.4 °Brix), respectively. Total anthocyanin content was 54% more in PJP with maltodextrin than waxy starch PJP. Similarly, the powder produced with maltodextrin had higher radical scavenging activity (33.19 mM TE/g dry matter; DM) compared to gum arabic (28.45 mM TE/g DM) and waxy starch (26.96 mM TE/g DM). Overall, maltodextrin reflected the most suitable carrier agent to produce PJP.

Functionality of Native Starches in Food Systems: Cluster Analysis Grouping of Rheological Properties in Different Product Matrices

Industrial application of starch as a texture-forming agent is primarily limited to preparations obtained from waxy corn and potatoes. The main reason behind this is its functionality, which depends mostly on rheological properties. However, in food product matrices, these properties change. Despite the vast amount of information on the rheological properties of various starches, the rational choice of thickener appears to be an extremely difficult task. The aim of the work is to systemize the information on the rheological properties of most popular starches in matrices of various food products, applying principal component and cluster analyses. The investigated material is potato and corn starch of the normal and waxy varieties. Binary mixtures containing salts or sweetening agents, as well as four different food products (ketchup, mayonnaise, pudding, and jelly), are investigated. It was found that compared to normal varieties, waxy starches reveal many similar rheological properties in all investigated models and food systems. Furthermore, in most applications, one waxy starch variety may be substituted by another, with no significant impact on the rheological properties and texture of the food product. Moreover, waxy starch preparations are less altered by the presence of cosolutes, i.e., salts and sugar alcohols. Starch model systems were proven to be useful only for rapid thickener screening tests and cannot be recommended as a final reference for the quality design of food products.