Amylose Content Research Articles

Augmenting corn starch gel printability for architectural 3D modeling for customized food

The advent of direct-ink-writing 3D printing in food processing highlights potential for innovation but underscores challenges with food-grade inks, notably their inadequate self-supporting properties post-extrusion that impede maintaining structural integrity and crating complex 3D forms. This challenge is particularly pronounced with starch—a key food ingredient. This study aims to bolster the printability of normal corn starch (NCS) through integration with pregelatinized (PG) high-amylose starch (G50 and G70, with 55% and 68% amylose contents, respectively) and proteins (soy, wheat, pea protein isolates, and whey protein). The PG starch was prepared by disorganizing the high-amylose starches in 33% CaCl2 solution and then precipitating them with ethanol. The formulation featuring an NCS/PG-G70/soy protein isolate ratio of 5:5:3 emerged superior, yielding enhanced formability, precise line printing, and robust self-support. This adapted starch-based gel facilitated the 3D printing of sophisticated structures, such as hollow and overhanging architectural forms, without necessitating chemical modification or a support bath. In vitro enzymatic hydrolysis tests on the printed constructs manifested approximately 50% resistant starch and 15% slowly digestible starch. These results suggest that the composite biopolymer ink developed in this study showcases not only superior printability but also boasts improved digestion-resistance. Thus, the findings from this research provide a foundation for developing food-grade inks capable of crafting customizable, intricately structured food products while conferring health advantages.

Pyramiding of bacterial blight resistance genes into promising restorer BRRI31R line through marker-assisted backcross breeding and evaluation of agro-morphological and physiochemical characteristics of developed resistant restorer lines.

BRRI31R is one of the Bangladesh's most promising restorer lines due to its abundant pollen producing capacity, strong restoring ability, good combining ability, high outcrossing rate and genetically diverse from cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line. But the drawback of this line is that it is highly susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) disease of rice caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. The present study highlighted the pyramiding of effective BB resistance genes (xa5, xa13 and Xa21) into the background of BRRI31R, through marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC). Backcross progenies were confirmed and advanced based on the foreground selection of target genes. Pyramided lines were used for pathogenicity test against five Bangladeshi Xanthomonas oryzae (BXo) races (BXo93, BXo220, BXo822, BXo826, BXo887) and confirmed the dominant fertility restore genes, Rf3 and Rf4 and further validated against SNP markers for more confirmation of target resistance genes. All pyramided restorer lines consisted of Xa4 (in built), xa5, xa13, Xa21, and Chalk5 with two fertility restorer genes, Rf3, Rf4. and these restorer lines showed intermediate amylose content (<25%). Restorer lines BRRI31R-MASP3 and BRRI31R-MASP4 showed high levels of resistance against five virulent BXo races and SNP genotyping revealed that these lines also contained a blast resistance gene Pita races. Gene pyramided restorer lines, BRRI31R-MASP3 and BRRI31R-MASP4 can directly be used as a male parent for the development of new BB resistant hybrid rice variety or could be used as a replacement of restorer line of BRRI hybrid dhan5 and 7 to enhance the quality of hybrid seeds as well as rice production in Bangladesh.

Evaluation of Yield and Yield Components of Rice in Vertical Agro-Photovoltaic System in South Korea

Renewable energy from photovoltaic power plants has increased in amount globally as an alternative energy to combat global climate change by reducing fossil fuel burning and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) approach can be a solution to produce solar energy and crop production at the same time by installing solar panels on the same farmland to increase land use efficiency. This study aimed to compare the yield and yield components of rice (Oryza sativa L.) between a vertical APV system and a control field across two years. The solar panels were installed around the rice field in four directions of rice cultivation. Based on the analysis of variance, the primary factor influencing measured yield and yield components was the year effect, whereas the direction effect did not show significance, except for amylose content and ripened grains. Especially for rice production, the rice yield in 2023 was 6.8 t/ha, which was significantly higher by 0.8 t/ha than in 2022. Compared with the control condition, however, there was no significant negative impact on the year-to-year rice yield of the vertical APV system across two years. As rice yield was mainly affected by year, rice yield trials will be required for multiple years to understand the genetic and environmental factors influencing rice production under the vertical APV system.

Genome-wide association analysis and transgenic characterization for amylose content regulating gene in tuber of Dioscorea zingiberensis

BackgroundAmylose, a prebiotic found in yams is known to be beneficial for the gut microflora and is particularly advantageous for diabetic patients’ diet. However, the genetic machinery underlying amylose production remains elusive. A comprehensive characterization of the genetic basis of amylose content in yam tubers is a prerequisite for accelerating the genetic engineering of yams with respect to amylose content variation.ResultsTo uncover the genetic variants underlying variation in amylose content, we evaluated amylose content in freshly harvested tubers from 150 accessions of Dioscorea zingibensis. With 30,000 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), we performed a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). The population structure analysis classified the D. zingiberensis accessions into three groups. A total of 115 significant loci were detected on four chromosomes. Of these, 112 significant SNPs (log10(p) = 5, q-value < 0.004) were clustered in a narrow window on the chromosome 6 (chr6). The peak SNP at the position 75,609,202 on chr6 could explain 63.15% of amylose variation in the population and fell into the first exon of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) small subunit gene, causing a non-synonymous modification of the resulting protein sequence. Allele segregation analysis showed that accessions with the rare G allele had a higher amylose content than those harboring the common A allele. However, AGPase, a key enzyme precursor of amylose biosynthesis, was not expressed differentially between accessions with A and G alleles. Overexpression of the two variants of AGPase in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a significantly higher amylose content in lines transformed with the AGPase-G allele.ConclusionsOverall, this study showed that a major genetic variant in AGPase probably enhances the enzyme activity leading to high amylose content in D. zingiberensis tuber. The results provide valuable insights for the development of amylose-enriched genotypes.

Enhancing grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance via Gγ protein manipulation in rice.

Our findings highlight a valuable breeding resource, demonstrating the potential to concurrently enhance grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance by manipulating Gγ protein in rice. Temperate Geng/Japonica (GJ) rice yields have improved significantly, bolstering global food security. However, GJ rice breeding faces challenges, including enhancing grain quality, ensuring stable yields at warmer temperatures, and utilizing alkaline land. In this study, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to knock out the GS3 locus in seven elite GJ varieties with superior yield performance. Yield component measurements revealed that GS3 knockout mutants consistently enhanced grain length and reduced plant height in diverse genetic backgrounds. The impact of GS3 on the grain number per panicle and setting rate depended on the genetic background. GS3 knockout did not affect milling quality and minimally altered protein and amylose content but notably influenced chalkiness-related traits. GS3 knockout indiscriminately improved heat and alkali stress tolerance in the GJ varieties studied. Transcriptome analysis indicated differential gene expression between the GS3 mutants and their wild-type counterparts, enriched in biological processes related to photosynthesis, photosystem II stabilization, and pathways associated with photosynthesis and cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis. Our findings highlight GS3 as a breeding resource for concurrently improving grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance through Gγ protein manipulation in rice.

GWAS and Transcriptomic Analysis Identify OsRING315 as a New Candidate Gene Controlling Amylose Content and Gel Consistency in Rice

Cooking quality is the main factor determining the market value of rice. Although several major genes and a certain number of QTLs controlling cooking quality have been identified, the genetic complexity and environmental susceptibility limit the further improvement for cooking quality by molecular breeding. This research conducted a genome-wide association study to elucidate the QTLs related to cooking quality including amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC) and alkali spreading value (ASV) by using 450 rice accessions consisting of 300 indica and 150 japonica accessions in two distinct environments. A total of 54 QTLs were identified, including 25 QTLs for AC, 12 QTLs for GC and 17 QTLs for ASV. Among them, 10 QTLs were consistently observed by the same population in both environments. Six QTLs were co-localized with the reported QTLs or cloned genes. The Wx gene for AC and GC, and the ALK gene for ASV were identified in every population across the two environments. The qAC9-2 for AC and the qGC9-2 for GC were defined to the same interval. The OsRING315 gene, encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase, was considered as the candidate gene for both qAC9-2 and qGC9-2. The higher expression of OsRING315 corresponded to the lower AC and higher GC. Three haplotypes of OsRING315 were identified. The Hap 1 mainly existed in the japonica accessions and had lower AC. The Hap 2 and Hap 3 were predominantly present in the indica accessions, associated with higher AC. Meanwhile, the GC of accessions harboring Hap 1 was higher than that of accessions harboring Hap 3. In addition, the distribution of the three haplotypes in several rice-growing regions was unbalanced. The three traits of cooking quality are controlled by both major and minor genes and susceptible to environmental factors. The expression level of OsRING315 is related to both AC and GC, and this gene can be a promising target in quality improvement by using the gene editing method. Moreover, the haplotypes of OsRING315 differentiate between indica and japonica, and reveal the differences in GC and AC between indica and japonica rice.

Preparation of Esterified Starches with Different Amylose Content and Their Blending with Polybutylene Succinate.

Three types of starch with different amylose content were esterified and blended with polybutylene succinate (PBS) to obtain esterified manioc starch/PBS (EMS/PBS), esterified corn starch/PBS (ECS/PBS), and esterified waxy corn starch/PBS (EWS/PBS) composites. The EMS/PBS and ECS/PBS composites with high amylose content displayed typical V-type crystal structures. The original crystals of EWS, which had low amylose content, were disrupted during the esterification process. EWS exhibited the strongest interaction with PBS and the most favorable interface compatibility. The pyrolysis temperature was in order of EMS/PBS < ECS/PBS < EWS/PBS. The elongation at break of the three blends was higher than that of pure PBS. The esterification and plasticization of the EWS/PBS composite were the most comprehensive. The EWS/PBS composite showed the lowest storage modulus (G') and complex viscosity (η*). The interfacial bonding force of the composite materials increased with more amylopectin, decreasing intermolecular forces and destroying crystal structures, which decreased G' and η* and increased toughness. The EWS/PBS composite, with the least amylose content, had the best hydrophobicity and degradation performance.

Physicochemical characterization of wheat starch and variation of fatty acid composition in deep-fried dough sticks with different treatments.

The present study investigated the effects of different deep-frying times and temperatures on the amylose content, crystal structure, thermodynamics, and other properties of deep-fried dough sticks. Results showed that the change of amylose content in deep-fried dough sticks during the deep-frying process was positively correlated with time and temperature. Moreover, the deep-frying process of deep-fried dough sticks was accompanied by the formation of starch-lipid complexes that led to the destruction of starch structure. The degreased sample and the oil sample had the same absorption peaks at 2854 and 1746cm-1, respectively. The melting enthalpy (ΔH) of the starch-lipid complex decreased significantly. In addition, the viscosity of starch reduced as the deep-frying time and temperature increased. Furthermore, it was found that the effect of increasing deep-frying temperature was greater than that of time. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: As a popular deep-fried food, the main component of deep-fried dough sticks is starch. Starch gelatinization, protein denaturation, and interaction among components occurred during deep-frying. At present, there are few studies focusing on the properties of starch in deep-fried dough sticks in the real deep-frying system. Therefore, this study provided a theoretical basis for subsequent research by measuring the effects of different deep-frying conditions on the properties of starch in deep-fried dough sticks.

Variations and Trends in Rice Quality across Different Types of Approved Varieties in China, 1978–2022

Rice is a staple food for nearly two-thirds of China’s population. As socio-economic development continues, there is a growing demand for high-quality rice. This study collected grain quality traits for 17,785 rice varieties approved throughout China, and categorized them into the following five types: indica inbred (II), indica hybrid (IH), japonica inbred (JI), japonica hybrid (JH), and indica-japonica hybrid (IJ). Comprehensive analyses were conducted to assess the differences and trends in rice quality across these varieties. We found that JI and JH excel in processing and cooking qualities, featuring higher brown rice and head milled rice rates, coupling with longer gel consistency. Inbred varieties display lower chalky rice rates than hybrids. Over several decades, head milled rice rates have notably increased across all types except for IJ. Transparency grade has decreased in nearly all types except for IJ, with similar declines observed in chalky rice rates and chalkiness degree, suggesting an overall progress in appearance quality. In terms of cooking and taste attributes, amylose content has decreased in most varieties except for IJ, and gel consistency has improved in indica varieties. Generally, the rice quality of varieties approved in China has shown a clear trend of improvement over the past 40 years. This study provides significant data support and theoretical backing for ongoing rice breeding efforts.

Rod-Shaped Starch from Galanga: Physicochemical Properties, Fine Structure and In Vitro Digestibility.

This work investigated the physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and digestive properties of two non-conventional starches extracted from Galanga: Alpinia officinarum Hance starch (AOS) and Alpinia galanga Willd starch (AGS). The extraction rates of the two starches were 22.10 wt% and 15.73 wt%, which is lower than widely studied ginger (Zingiber officinale, ZOS). But they contained similar amounts of basic constituents. AOS and AGS showed a smooth, elongated shape, while ZOS was an oval sheet shape. AOS and ZOS were C-type starches, and AGS was an A-type starch. AOS showed the highest crystallinity (35.26 ± 1.02%) among the three starches, possessed a higher content of amylose (24.14 ± 0.73%) and a longer amylose average chain length (1419.38 ± 31.28) than AGS. AGS starch exhibits the highest viscosity at all stages, while AOS starch shows the lowest pasting temperature, and ZOS starch, due to its high amylose content, displays lower peak and trough viscosities. Significant differences were also found in the physicochemical properties of the three starches, including the swelling power, solubility, thermal properties, and rheological properties of the three starches. The total content of resistant starch (RS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) in AOS (81.05%), AGS (81.46%), and ZOS (82.58%) are considered desirable. These findings proved to be valuable references for further research and utilization of ginger family starch.

Effects of Genotype, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Complex Fertilization on the Nutritional and Technological Characteristics of Buckwheat Flour.

The present study investigated the effect of nitrogen fertilization (NF) at the levels of 0, 45, and 90 kg·ha-1 combined with selected sulfur complex fertilization (SCF) levels of 0 and 45 kg·ha-1 on the nutritional and technological characteristics of buckwheat flour from five varieties. The results showed that the genotype was a critical factor affecting the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of buckwheat flour. NF significantly increased protein, total starch, and amylose content as well as mineral composition but decreased particle size, color value, and water hydration properties. However, SCF enhanced the ash content and decreased the protein content but had no significant effect on the pasting temperature. In addition, the combination of NF and SCF significantly reduced granule size, water solubility, viscosity, and rheological properties with increasing fertilization levels. This study can guide the cultivation of buckwheat with the desired physicochemical properties and provide information for buckwheat-based products in the food industry.

Exploring effect of uniform dry ball-milling duration on pasting and rheological properties of pink potato and maize starch mixtures

This study examined the potential effect of ball milling on maize starch (MS), pink potato starch (PPS), and their blends in various ratios (90:10, 80:20, and 70:30) on the pasting and rheological properties. Ball-milling led to changes in the particle size, ranging from 652.9 to 6488 nm, and a decrease in relative crystallinity (RC), as confirmed by XRD. Ball-milling increased amylose concentration in blend with the ratio of 90:10 up to 32.53 %, indicating structural alterations and molecular interactions. FESEM analysis confirms significant changes in the surface and particle sizes and starch gels with honeycomb structures. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the intensity of the 1044 cm−1 and 480 cm−1 bands, respectively, signifying structural changes. Pasting parameters like peak viscosity and gelatinization behavior varied with PPS incorporation. The 80:20 blend had the highest viscosity, demonstrating PPS's capacity for high-viscosity starch paste. Rheological measurements of starch blends exhibited shear-thinning behavior, whereas the viscoelastic properties of the blends are influenced by particle size and the ratio of pink potato starch. Ball-milling treatment affects the granules and causes molecular-level interactions between the particles. This results in unique rheological properties of the starch blends, making them suitable for various applications.

Chemical and Sensory Properties of Mentik Grompol and Sembada Merah Cooked Rice’s : The Effect of Storage Method

Abstract Currently there are several varieties of colored rice such as red rice and black rice which are rich in nutrients. Indonesian people, in particular, are starting to consume rice as a healthy food by choosing to consume red rice or black rice. For storage, Indonesians are accustomed to preparing a lot of rice and then placing it in a rice basket or a magic com warmer. Therefore, this study was conducted with aims to evaluating the effect of the storage methods and times of white and red cooked rice on total sugar content, starch content, amylose content, and sensory properties. The paddy of Mentik Grompol (MG) cultivar is dehulled, then milled to produce white milled rice, while the paddy of Sembada Merah (SM), a red paddy variety is only dehulled to produce brown rice. Both types of rice are cooked using magic com to get white and red cooked rice. The cooked rice was stored in magic com and plastic basket, then observed at 0, 9, 18, and 27 hours respectively. According to the findings, red cooked rice had lower moisture content, total sugar, starch, and amylose content than white cooked rice. The total sugar level, starch content, and amylose content of white and red cooked rice were all considerably impacted by storage duration. The lowest total sugar content is red cooked rice which is stored for 27 hours either in magic com. Red cooked rice, which was kept in magic com for 27 hours, had the lowest starch and amylose concentration. Compared to Sembada Merah cooked rice, Mentik Grompol white cooked rice is preferred by panelists based on sensory evaluation in terms of color, texture, aroma, taste, and overall parameters. To prevent an increase in the prevalence of diabetes, rice should not be consumed immediately but stored first in a magic com or plastic basket because the total sugar and starch levels in rice have decreased.

Structure and functional properties of starches from Xiaozhan rice: Effects of varieties and growing regions

This study aimed to understand structure and functionality of starches from different Xiaozhan rice varieties grown in the same region and from the same variety grown in different regions. The amylose content varied from 15.6% to 23.2% among all rice starches, and the proportions of A, B1, B2, and B3 chains of amylopectin were in the range of 28.4%–38.1%, 46.2%–51.4%, 8.0%–13.4%, and 2.5%–12.0%, respectively. Significant differences were noted in swelling power, gelatinization, pasting, gel textural properties and in vitro enzymic digestibility of rice starches from different varieties grown at the same region and from the same variety grown in different regions. Correlation analysis results showed that amylose content and chain length distribution of amylopectin were the major determinants for the functional properties and amylolysis of starches, respectively. This study suggests that the quality of Xiaozhan rice related to starch properties was affected by the rice varieties and growing regions. The results obtained in this study are of importance for optimizing breeding strategies to produce better rice varieties.

Effect of Cultivation at Different Altitudes on the Chemical, Functional and Pasting Properties of Starch Medians Cultivar Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The cultivation elevation of potatoes plays a crucial role that influences starch quality. Little is known on the impact of varying altitudes on starch quality. Therefore, this new study analyzed the starch attributes of the Median?s potato variety (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivated at three distinct altitudinal zones: lowlands, midlands, and highlands. The objective was to elucidate the impact of these varying altitudes on the chemical composition, functional qualities and pasting behavior of starch derived from the Median?s cultivar. Utilizing a randomized block design with quadruplicate trials, the data was subjected to one-way ANOVA and Duncan?s Multiple Range Test, at a 5% significance threshold. The results show that highland and midland plantings yielded a higher starch production. The cultivation altitude had a significant influence (p &lt; 0.05) on several chemical parameters of the starch, including its moisture, protein, lipid content, total starch, amylose, ash and phosphorus contents. The functional properties, such as swelling volume, solubility, water and oil absorption capacities, syneresis, gel strength, and colors (a*, b*, L* values) also exhibited significant variance with altitude. Furthermore, pasting qualities also were altered by the altitude of potatoes cultivation. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), particle size analysis, granule morphology via microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), revealed significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) across starches from different altitudes, confirming the influence of environmental conditions on starch quality and its functional properties. These results provide valuable recommendations for customizing potato farming methods to enhance starch yield and their applications in various food production sectors.. KEYWORDS :Cultivation altitude, Cultivar, Farming methods, Functional properties, Starch quality.

Modified Arrowroot Starch: Impact of Multiple Acetylation on Physical, Chemical, and Physicochemical Characteristics

Abstract Modifying single-acetylated starch in arrowroot starch has improved starch quality, especially in paste clarity properties. It was conducted to determine the effect of the double acetylation modification method on the physical, chemical, and physicochemical characteristics of modified arrowroot starch. It used a completely randomized design with variations in the concentration of acid acetate and the immersion time of single acetylation modification. The best single Acetylated Starch is the treatment of variations in adding 2% acetic acid concentration for 60 minutes soaking time, which then proceeds with double acetylation modification. Double acetylation has a paste clarity level of 25.02%, moisture content of 13.33%, Amylose Content of 30.62%, Water Absorption of 3.77 g/g, Swelling power of 9.30 g/g, and Solubility of 5.19%. The pasting properties have a Peak Viscosity of 5716 cP, Through Viscosity of 2336 cP, Breakdown Viscosity of 3380 cP, Final Viscosity of 2750 cP, Setback Viscosity of 414 cP, Peak Time of 5 minutes, and Pasting Temperature 70.90°C. The dual acetylation improves the solubility and swelling power compared with single acetylation and unmodified starch.

Starch chain-length distributions affect the processing and digestion characteristics of proso millet starch

Starch chain-length distributions play a key role in regulating the processing and digestion characteristics of proso millet starch. Waxy proso millet starch has higher endothermic enthalpy (13.06–16.73 J/g) owing to its higher relative crystallinity (27.83%–32.04%), while nonwaxy proso millet starch has lower peak viscosity (1.0630–1.1930 Pa∙s) and stronger viscoelasticity owing to its higher amylose content (21.72%–24.34%). Non-waxy proso millet starch exhibited two different digestion phases and its resistant starch content (18.37%–20.80%) was higher than waxy proso millet starch. Correlation analysis showed proso millet starch with longer amylopectin B1 chains and more amylopectin B2 chains exhibited excellent thermal ability and retrograde resistance, whereas proso millet starch with shorter and more amylose medium/long-chains not only reduced the digestion rate and increased the resistant starch content but also exhibited stronger viscoelasticity and excellent retrogradation properties. These results could provide more insights into efficient utilization of proso millet starch.

Developing high resistant starch content rice noodles with superior quality: A method using modified rice flour and psyllium fiber

The effects of high-resistant starch (RS) content rice flour, psyllium husk powder (PHP), and psyllium powder (PP) on the edible quality and starch digestibility of rice noodles were investigated in this study. High-RS rice noodles showed lower digestibility but poor edible quality. With the addition of PHP and PP, high-RS rice noodles' cooking and texture quality were improved significantly, especially the breakage rates, cooking losses, and chewiness (P < 0.05). Compared to traditional white rice noodle's estimated glycemic index (eGI) of 86.69, the eGI values for 5PHP-RN and 5PHP-2PP-RN were significantly decreased to 66.74 and 65.77, achieving a medium GI status (P < 0.05). This resulted from the high amylose and lipid content in the modified rice flour and psyllium, leading to increase of starch crystallinity. Besides, based on the analysis of Pearson's correlation, it can be found that PHP rich in insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) could improve high-RS noodle cooking and texture quality better, while PP rich in soluble dietary fiber (SDF) can further reduce the RDS content and its starch digestibility. Therefore, utilizing modified rice flour with an appropriate addition of PHP and PP can be considered an effective strategy for producing superior-quality lower glycemic index rice noodles.

Functional Biscuits, a Healthy Addition to Your Coffee Break-Evaluating Consumer Acceptability and Willingness to Pay.

An increasing number of individuals are eating out due to work and study commitments. This trend directly influences people's food choices, especially those who frequently rely on snacks and pre-packaged foods. Consuming these foods can lead to long-term health consequences. Adding functional foods to vending machines could lead to healthier choices. Our aim is to evaluate the acceptability and willingness to pay (WTP) of workers and students for a snack pack of novel functional biscuits (FBs) made with high amylose contents. We found that the experimental flour used is effective in preventing various non-communicable diseases; two phases of analysis were carried out on 209 participants. The participants blindly tested the products and only after the sensory evaluation were they informed about the biscuits' health contents. Firstly, the blind investigation highlighted the acceptability of the FBs compared to the conventional biscuits. Secondly, the finite mixture model on WTP revealed that some consumers are interested in the health benefits associated with high-amylose test blends and others are focused on hedonistic taste. The design of a communication strategy and industry approach should aim to assist consumers in comprehending the health benefits and sensory aspects of novel functional foods available on the market.

Investigatory study on the qualities of locally grown Rice brands sold in main markets of Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria

Qualities of some selected rice varieties sold in the main markets of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State where rice is mostly grown and consumed in the south-western part of Nigeria was investigated. Rice (Aroso, Mokwa, Royal niger, Orlam and Ofada rice) were evaluated for their physical, chemical properties and sensory qualities using established laboratory procedures. The average width of the rice ranged from “0.261 to 0.268 mm”, “0.260 to 0.265 mm, “0.260 to 0.262 mm”, “0.269 to 0.270 mm”, and 0.271 to 0.275 mm” respectively. The rice average lengths ranged between “0.346 to 0.350 mm”, “0.365 to 0.368 mm”, “0.356 to 0.359 mm”, “0.357 to 0.357 mm” and “0.365 to 0.379 mm” respectively. The physical appearance of the rice investigated ranged from good to very good except for mokwa and orlam rice which shows fair colours. Chemical properties of the rice samples ranged from 10.21 to 11.97%, 0.83 to 2.62, 1.89 to 2.16%, 0.24 to 0.37%, 5.50 to 7.56%, 77.89 to 79.60%, 59.90 to 65.17%, 12.15 to 14.61% and 85.39 to 87.85% for moisture, total ash, fat, crude fibre, crude protein, carbohydrate, starch, amylose and amylopectin contents respectively. The cooking properties ranged from 2 to 7.5, 230 to 250% and 5.49 to 5.64 in length and 0.689 to 1.337mm for volume expansion ratio, water uptake and elongation ratio respectively. This study revealed that Aroso and Orlam rice were of excellent in physical, chemical, sensory qualities and are both recommended for consumption. This research finding serves as a basis of choice for consumers and it also reveals the areas for improvement in terms of qualities of the local rice investigated.