Enhancing Saltiness Perception Using Chitin Nanomaterials.

Tsai Tsai,Chang Chang,Wang Wang

doi:10.3390/polym11040719

Abstract

In the present study, we prepared and characterized chitin nanomaterials with different diameters, lengths, and degree of deacetylation (DD), and investigated their capability for enhancing saltiness perception. Chitin was isolated from squid pens and transformed into chitin nanofiber (CNF), deacetylated chitin nanofiber (DACNF), and chitin nanocrystal (CNC) by ultrasonication, alkali treatment followed by ultrasonication and acid hydrolysis, respectively. The diameters of CNF, CNC and DACNF were 17.24 nm, 16.05 nm and 15.01 nm while the lengths were 1725.05 nm, 116.91 nm, and 1806.60 nm, respectively. The aspect ratios of CNF and DACNF were much higher than that of CNC. The crystalline indices of CNF and CNC were lower than that of original β-chitin, suggesting that ultrasonication and acid hydrolysis might change the molecular arrangement in crystalline region of chitin. The zeta-potentials were between 19.73 nV and 30.08 mV of chitin nanomaterials in distilled water. Concentrations of chitin nanomaterials (40–74 μg/mL) showed minimal effect on zeta-potential, whereas increasing the level of NaCl reduced the zeta-potential of solution. Moreover, NaCl solution (0.3%) with chitin nanomaterials addition produced significant higher saltiness perception than that of solution with NaCl alone. Therefore, chitin nanomaterials may be promising saltiness enhancers in the food industry.

Highlights

Sodium chloride (NaCl), a ubiquitous sodium salt, is commonly used to season food
The nanofibers may aggregate and precipitate within centrifugation process. These intermolecular interactions may account for the fact that the yield of deacetylated chitin nanofiber (DACNF) is lower than chitin nanofiber (CNF)
The positive charge on the surface of a chitin can be represented by the zeta potential, so we examined the effects of concentration of various chitin nanomaterials on the zeta potential values

Summary

Introduction

Sodium chloride (NaCl), a ubiquitous sodium salt, is commonly used to season food. As a food additive, NaCl produces the saltiness perception, and lowers the water activity of foods.salt can inhibit the growth of microbial and prolongs the shelf life of foods. Sodium chloride (NaCl), a ubiquitous sodium salt, is commonly used to season food. NaCl produces the saltiness perception, and lowers the water activity of foods. The. World Health Organization (WHO) (2007) recommended a daily NaCl intake (RDI) of less than. The average daily NaCl intake in the United States, United Kingdom and Asia is approximately 8.2–9.4 g, 9.4 g, and 12.0 g, respectively, which are much higher than the RDI suggested by WHO [2]. The techniques to reduce the salt levels in foods should be considered in order to help bring dietary sodium-intake closer to those recommended for promoting public health. Categories of “reduced salt” and “heavily salted” in different foods were itemized in national standards to help consumers choose food with less salt [3]

Methods

Results

Conclusion