Impact of storage on starch digestibility and texture of a high-amylose wheat bread

Abstract

Staling is a complex process that determines the shelf-life of baked products like bread. Breads made using high-amylose flour may elicit a lower glycaemic response, with benefits for health, however the impact of storage on novel high-amylose wheat foods structure are not known. We investigated the staling behaviour of high-amylose bread made from a starch branching enzyme II ( sbeII ) wheat mutant compared to a wild-type (WT) control, by measuring starch digestibility (susceptibility to amylolysis) and bread texture over time in different storage conditions. Breads prepared from sbeII and WT control wheat flours were subjected to fresh, refrigerated and frozen storage, and starch digestibility and crumb texture were measured up to three days. Starch from sbeII flour was characterised by a larger proportion of long chains resulting in increased amylose content, typical of sbeII mutant wheat. Starch in sbeII bread was less susceptible to amylolysis when freshly baked (∼17% difference of starch digested at 90 min, C 90 ) and after storage (26%–28% C 90 difference, depending on the storage condition), compared to the WT control. Texture of freshly baked sbeII bread was similar to the WT control; storage conditions affected the progression of crumb firming and resilience to touch for both breads, but changes in crumb texture were less pronounced in sbeII bread. Overall, sbeII bread was less prone to staling than conventional WT bread during the first three days of storage, particularly when stored in the fridge or at room temperature. • Starch in starch branching enzyme II wheat mutants ( sbeII ) is characterised by a larger proportion of long chains and increased amylose content. • Starch in sbeII bread is less susceptible to amylolysis than starch in conventional white bread when freshly baked and after storage. • Texture of freshly baked sbeII bread is similar to the control bread. • SbeII bread is less prone to firming than conventional bread, particularly when stored in the fridge or at room temperature.