Emulsifiers efficiently prevent hardening of pancakes under refrigerated conditions via inclusion complexes with starch molecules

Abstract

Pancakes served as a dessert with creams and fruits toppings nowadays stored under refrigerated conditions are often subjected to significant changes in physical properties recognized as quality deterioration, which is efficiently prevented by including small molecule emulsifiers into commercial pancakes formulations. In order to reveal these molecular prevention mechanisms in the real multicomponent wheat-based products, small molecule emulsifiers with various HLB values and head group size were formulated into pancake samples and their physical properties evaluated. Starch retrogradation, emulsifier-starch inclusion complex formation and gelatinization behaviors were followed by the texture profile analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, iodine colorimetry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Hardening of the pancake samples varied with the type of emulsifiers, which in general reduced the retrogradation of starch. This reduction was dominantly attributed to the emulsifier-starch complex formation, particularly with amylose molecules, probably leading to less leaching of the starch molecules from the starch granules. These findings are of practical use in selecting effective emulsifiers that prevent hardening of pancakes. The degree of complexation was partially explained by the HLB and head group size of the emulsifiers, while it can be also significantly affected by interactions between the emulsifier and other components in the pancake mixture, like milk and eggs.