Molecular characterization of green lentil flours using synchrotron X-rays and Fourier transform mid-infrared techniques

Abstract

This study examines the molecular changes in roller-milled green lentil flours as a consequence of mill settings and blending of fractions. Traditional laboratory instruments such as small-angle X-ray scattering and powder X-ray diffraction have limited resolution, which makes it challenging to explore the structure-function interactions of flours. Herein, super high-resolution synchrotron X-rays, Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and laser diffraction data conclude that flour blends differ from streams in particle size, crystallinity, and starch/protein quality. A principal component analysis model was also developed to classify samples based on streams and blends. Classification of samples was done using carbohydrate (1200–900 cm−1) and protein (1700–1500 cm−1) regions. The state-of-the-art techniques used in this study unravel a deeper understanding of the macromolecular changes that take place in flours during milling. This seminal information will be key to the food industry in utilizing pulse flours for developing and creating nutritionally dense foods.