Rheological, textural, and digestible properties of fresh noodles: Influence of starch esterified by conventional and pulsed electric field‐assisted dual technique with full range of amylose content

Abstract

This research was aimed to investigate the influence of esterified starches on the quality and texture of fresh noodles by adding starches with different amylose contents (<1%, 23%, 50%, 80%). The application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) during esterification can improve the introduction of acetyl groups. The peak viscosity of esterified waxy starch was decreased obviously from 4,238 to 79 mPa s by PEF assistance. Compared to the conventional method, esterified starch with higher amylose content (>23%) by PEF assistance can improve the appearance and elasticity of its uncooked noodles, while the addition of waxy starch esters showed an opposite trend. The influence of PEF-assisted modification on the increase in cooking yield and the decrease in hardness was more obvious compared to conventional method. Additionally, waxy starch esterified by the dual method exhibited a decrease in rapidly digestible starch content during in vitro digestion. Practical applications This study was to explore the effects of esterification on maize starch with full range of amylose content as well as the modified starches applied on noodles. Conventional and PEF-assisted dual methods have different influence on the rheological, cooking, and textural properties of noodles. Bright appearance and higher springiness, which were the desired properties of raw noodles for consumers, can be obtained by adding starch esters (except for waxy starch) modified by PEF-assisted esterification rather than the conventional method. It can expand the application of PEF technology on flour products, especially for noodles.