Chemical Deterioration of Lotus Seeds During Storage

Abstract

AbstractStarch, protein and lipids, the major components in lotus seeds, affected taste and cooking properties of the food. The chemical compositions, gelatinization properties, crystal structure of the starch, compositions of fatty acids and soluble protein of lotus seeds, stored for 24 months, 12 months and as fresh were studied. The overall starch, protein and lipid contents in lotus seeds remained unchanged during storage, but structural changes occurred. The contents of amylose and free fatty acid increased significantly during prolonged storage, but the solubility of protein decreased dramatically. The increases of onset temperature, peak temperature and gelatinization enthalpy of lotus seed starch were also studied by a differential scanning calorimetry. Its content especially for disulfide bonds, increased from 63.24 to 95.59 μ mol/g. All changes had significant correlation with storage time and ultimately denatured the sensory quality of selected aged lotus seeds. The study could be conductive to fresh lotus seed discrimination from stale seed, and dynamic monitoring of lotus seed, by determination chemical deterioration of lotus seeds during storage.Practical ApplicationsThis study is helpful to discriminate fresh lotus seed from stale seed, and explain aging mechanism, and put forward the improvement measures of lotus seed storage conditions.