High-amylose Starch Research Articles

Boosting Immunity and Management against Wheat Fusarium Diseases by a Sustainable, Circular Nanostructured Delivery Platform.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium crown rot (FCR) are managed by the application of imidazole fungicides, which will be strictly limited by 2030, as stated by the European Green Deal. Here, a novel and eco-sustainable nanostructured particle formulation (NPF) is presented by following the principles of the circular economy. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and resistant starch were obtained from the bran of a high amylose (HA) bread wheat and employed as carrier and excipient, while chitosan and gallic acid were functionalized as antifungal and elicitor active principles. The NPF inhibited conidia germination and mycelium growth, and mechanically interacted with conidia. The NPF optimally reduced FHB and FCR symptoms in susceptible bread wheat genotypes while being biocompatible on plants. The expression level of 21 genes involved in the induction of innate immunity was investigated in Sumai3 (FHB resistant) Cadenza (susceptible) and Cadenza SBEIIa (a mutant characterized by high-amylose starch content) and most of them were up-regulated in Cadenza SBEIIa spikes treated with the NPF, indicating that this genotype may possess an interesting genomic background particularly responsive to elicitor-like molecules. Quantification of fungal biomass revealed that the NPF controlled FHB spread, while Cadenza SBEIIa was resistant to FCR fungal spread. The present research work highlights that the NPF is a powerful weapon for FHB sustainable management, while the genome of Cadenza SBEIIa should be investigated deeply as particularly responsive to elicitor-like molecules and resistant to FCR fungal spread.

Anionic and Ampholytic High-Amylose Starch Derivatives as Excipients for Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Applications: Structure-Properties Correlations.

Many chemical modifications of starch are realized in organic (mostly methanol) phase, allowing high degrees of substitution (DS). Some of these materials are used as disintegrants. To expand the usage of starch derivative biopolymers as drug delivery system, various starch derivatives obtained in aqueous phase were evaluated with the aim to identify materials and procedures which would generate multifunctional excipients providing gastro-protection for controlled drug delivery. Chemical, structural and thermal characteristics of anionic and ampholytic High Amylose Starch (HAS) derivatives under powder (P), tablet (T) and film (F) forms were evaluated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods and correlated with the behavior of tablets and films in simulated gastric and intestinal media. At low DS, the HAS carboxymethylation (CMHAS) in aqueous phase, generated tablets and films that were insoluble at ambient conditions. The CMHAS filmogenic solutions, with a lower viscosity, were easier to cast and gave smooth films without the use of plasticizer. Correlations were found between structural parameters and the properties of starch excipients. Compared to other starch modification procedures, the aqueous modification of HAS generated tunable multifunctional excipients that may be recommended for tablets and functional coatings for colon-targeted formulations.

Interfacial enzyme kinetics reveals degradation mechanisms behind resistant starch

The digestive resistance of so-called resistant starch (RS) provides an important nutritional principle. However, as yet the mechanisms underlying digestive resistance of the granular starches are not well described. We address this problem by employing a novel enzyme kinetics approach, which in contrast to conventional enzyme kinetics takes the interfacial nature of the enzyme reaction into account. Structurally different starch granules with different amylose contents were modified by the hydrolytic enzyme glucoamylase (GA). Kinetic-, adsorbtion-, imaging-, particle size-, and spectroscopic data combinedly revealed important origins of hydrolytic resistance of high-amylose starch. Our data demonstrate that amylose restricted the enzymatic catalysis efficiency on starch granules chiefly by providing less hydrolytic effective attack sites for the enzyme at granular surface. Specifically, the total binding sites (adsΓmax) (20.9 nmol/g) on starch with 0% amylose content (AC) were almost all effective attack sites (kinΓmax) (20.2 nmol/g). At 26% AC, the binding sites on the granules decreased to 13.9 nmol/g, and attack sites decreased to 7.4%. At 72% AC, the binding sites were only slightly reduced to 11.2 nmol/g, however, the attack sites were remarkably decreased to 2.6 nmol/g. Beyond the initial catalytic events, i.e., for further degraded granules, the binding and catalysis efficiency differed notably for the three starch types. At 0% AC, both binding and attack increased demonstrating increased hydrolytic susceptibility of the granules. At 26% AC only binding increased, while attack was unchanged. Interestingly, at 72% AC, binding increased, while attack deceased notably with hydrolysis time, demonstrating decreased efficiency of interfacial catalysis during the hydrolysis process.

Fabrication of Porous Carbon Nanofibers from Polymer Blends Using Template Method for Electrode-Active Materials in Supercapacitor

Porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) with excellent physical and chemical properties have been considered candidate materials for electrodes used in supercapacitors. Herein, we report a facile procedure to fabricate PCNFs through electrospinning blended polymers into nanofibers followed by pre-oxidation and carbonization. Polysulfone (PSF), high amylose starch (HAS), and phenolic resin (PR) are used as three different kinds of template pore-forming agents. The effects of pore-forming agents on the structure and properties of PCNFs have been systematically studied. The surface morphology, chemical components, graphitized crystallization, and pore characteristics of PCNFs are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen adsorption and desorption test, respectively. The pore-forming mechanism of PCNFs is analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Fabricated PCNF-R have a specific surface area as high as ~994 m2/g, a total pore volume as high as ~0.75 cm3/g, and a good graphitization degree. When PCNF-R are used as active materials to fabricate into electrodes, the PCNF-R electrodes show a high specific capacitance ~350 F/g, a good rate capability ~72.6%, a low internal resistance ~0.55 Ω, and an excellent cycling stability ~100% after 10,000 charging and discharging cycles. The design of low-cost PCNFs is expected to be widely applicable for the development of high-performance electrodes for an energy storage field.

Emulsion-based oleogelation using octenyl succinic anhydride modified granular cold-water swelling starch

Oleogels were produced starting from Pickering emulsions, stabilized by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modified high amylose (HS-OSA), waxy (WS-OSA), and granular cold-water swelling starch (GCWS-OSA). GCWS-OSA had the highest degree of OSA substitution (DS) and contact angle with the oil-water interface, and the smallest emulsion droplet size (0.0149, 80.4°, 12.58 μm), followed by WS-OSA (0.0098, 76.2°, 22.83 μm) and HS-OSA (0.0049, 73.3°, 31.50 μm). In small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS), all template emulsions and oleogels had G’ > G’’ (tan δ ≤ 0.1) and behaved as soft viscoelastic solids. The highest G’ was observed for WS-OSA and GCWS-OSA, which clearly produced a much stiffer material. In large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS), WS-OSA and GCWS-OSA oleogels showed a progressive disruption of the microstructure, which resulted in an increase in viscous dissipation. At the highest strain of 20.5%, WS-OSA and GCWS-OSA were showing completely plastic behavior, whereas the structure of the HS-OSA based oleogel still displayed significant residual elasticity, indicating only partial disruption of the microstructure. WS-OSA and GCWS-OSA also had a much higher strain overshoot (Payne effect) in G”, then the sample based on HS-OSA. The higher DS and granular structure of GCWS-OSA contributed to a more stable Pickering emulsion and stiffer oleogel. • Pickering emulsions were used as a template to create oleogels. • Emulsions were stabilized using three types of OSA-modified rice starch particles. • Emulsions and oleogels were characterized using SAOS and LAOS measurements. • The Pickering emulsions produced oleogels with high stiffness. • The stiffness of oleogels can be tailored by choice of the appropriate starch.

Unlocking the Potential of High-Amylose Starch for Gut Health: Not All Function the Same

High-amylose starch has unique functional properties and nutritional values in food applications. This type of starch is generally resistant to enzymatic digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, and contains an increased fraction of resistant starch (RS), which is a type of dietary fiber. The digestion and fermentation of high-amylose starch in the gut are of current research interest, as the processes are related to its nutritional functionality. This review summarizes recent in vitro and in vivo studies on the digestion and fermentation of high-amylose starches from different botanical sources and those that have been obtained by modifications. The RS content and fermentation properties are compared among high-amylose starches. This review aims to provide a current understanding of the relationship between high-amylose starch structures and fermentation-related nutritional properties. The results of these studies suggest that both modifications and food processing of high-amylose starch result in distinct fermentation products and nutritional properties. The review provides insight into the potential future applications of diverse high-amylose starches as bioactive compounds to modulate colonic fermentation.

Near-infrared spectroscopy for early selection of waxy cassava clones via seed analysis.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) starch consists of amylopectin and amylose, with its properties determined by the proportion of these two polymers. Waxy starches contain at least 95% amylopectin. In the food industry, waxy starches are advantageous, with pastes that are more stable towards retrogradation, while high-amylose starches are used as resistant starches. This study aimed to associate near-infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS) spectra with the waxy phenotype in cassava seeds and develop an accurate classification model for indirect selection of plants. A total of 1127 F2 seeds were obtained from controlled crosses performed between 77 F1 genotypes (wild-type, Wx_). Seeds were individually identified, and spectral data were obtained via NIRS using a benchtop NIRFlex N-500 and a portable SCiO device spectrometer. Four classification models were assessed for waxy cassava genotype identification: k-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN), C5.0 decision tree (CDT), parallel random forest (parRF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB). Spectral data were divided between a training set (80%) and a testing set (20%). The accuracy, based on NIRFlex N-500 spectral data, ranged from 0.86 (parRF) to 0.92 (XGB). The Kappa index displayed a similar trend as the accuracy, considering the lowest value for the parRF method (0.39) and the highest value for XGB (0.71). For the SCiO device, the accuracy (0.88-0.89) was similar among the four models evaluated. However, the Kappa index was lower than that of the NIRFlex N-500, and this index ranged from 0 (parRF) to 0.16 (KNN and CDT). Therefore, despite the high accuracy these last models are incapable of correctly classifying waxy and non-waxy clones based on the SCiO device spectra. A confusion matrix was performed to demonstrate the classification model results in the testing set. For both NIRS, the models were efficient in classifying non-waxy clones, with values ranging from 96-100%. However, the NIRS differed in the potential to predict waxy genotype class. For the NIRFlex N-500, the percentage ranged from 30% (parRF) to 70% (XGB). In general, the models tended to classify waxy genotypes as non-waxy, mainly SCiO. Therefore, the use of NIRS can perform early selection of cassava seeds with a waxy phenotype.

A novel method for obtaining high amylose starch fractions from debranched starch

High amylose starch shows wide applications in food and non-food-based industries. Traditional complex-precipitation approach for the amylose fractionation required a large volume of organic reagents and was possibly risky for food safety. The object of this work was to establish a novel method to obtain starch fractions rich in amylose from debranch starch through repeated short-term retrogradation and centrifugation. Four starch fractions were obtained with the amylose content of 52.08% (C1), 62.28% (C2), 63.58% (C3), and 64.74% (C4). The thermograms of samples displayed that multiple endothermic peaks were detected in C1 and C2 and only one endothermic peak with melting temperature over 120 °C were observed in C3 and C4, indicating their differences in retrogradation behavior. The chain length distribution results of sample exhibited that C1 and C2 contained more short chains (DP ≤ 24), while C3 and C4 consisted of mainly long chains (DP ≥ 25). Accordingly, the differences in fine structures could provide more choices for these fractionated high amylose starch to utilize in practical applications.

Effect of a high amylose starch solution on hydration and performance in trained cyclists during exercise in the heat

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Comparison of boba pearls made from tapioca starch and other unconventional flours and starches: Their glycaemic response (GR)

Introduction: Boba milk tea, also recognised as bubble tea, is a popular beverage in Asia. The primary component in bubble tea is “boba” or “pearl” balls, made of tapioca starch. However, much remains to be seen if tapioca boba pearls have a profound impact on blood glucose. Methods: In a randomised, controlled crossover, single-blinded design study, 12 healthy Chinese male adults (body mass index 21±14 kgm−2) attended four sessions. At each session, bubble tea consisting of boba pearls made from tapioca starch (TS), sago starch (SS), high-amylose starch + sago starch (HA), or kithul flour + sago starch (KF) were served. Boba milk tea was served at breakfast, with volunteers consuming them in a fasted state at each session. The postprandial glycaemic response and insulin response were compared within participants. Results: There were observed differences at time 180min for incremental glucose between HA and SS (p=0.005), and for TS and SS for incremental insulin (p=0.004). Glucose iAUC was lower for TS compared to the other boba pearl treatments, although not significantly (p=0.093). There was no significant difference in iAUC of insulin (p=0.104) between the four boba pearl milk teas. Conclusion: With limited scientific research conducted on bubble milk tea, our study was the first to document the glycaemic responses of tapioca starch boba pearls and boba pearls made using unconventional flours and starches. The findings from this study is an important first step for future work to develop healthier boba pearls for bubble tea.

Effect of alkyl chain length and amylose/amylopectin ratio on the structure and digestibility of starch-alkylresorcinols inclusion complexes

Starch can form inclusion complexes with various phenolic compounds. The structure of phenolic compound and the amylose/amylopectin ratio of starch affect their complexing ability and functional properties. In this study, 5-heptadecylresorcinol (ARs-17) and 5-heneicosylresorcinol (ARs-21) were screened and the influences of amylose content on the formation and physicochemical properties of starch-alkylresorcinols (ARs) inclusion complexes were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The digestion curves and logarithm-of-slope (LOS) plots were obtained by in vitro digestion experiments. The results demonstrated that waxy maize starch (WMS) was not able to form inclusion complexes with ARs-17 or ARs-21, however, the possibility of ARs adsorption on amylopectin existed. For normal maize starch (MS), it could only form inclusion complex with ARs-21, and there was uncomplexed ARs in the inclusion complex due to its lower proportion of amylose. High amylose starches (G50 and G80) formed VII-type inclusion complexes with both ARs-17 and ARs-21, especially a small amount of VI-type inclusion complexes was present in ARs-21 inclusion complexes. Meanwhile, the crystallinity, thermal stability, and anti-digestive properties of starch-ARs inclusion complexes increased with the increment of ARs alkyl chain length and amylose content. This study suggested that high amylose starch facilitated stable delivery of ARs, which could improve the bioaccessibility of ARs. • The higher content of amylose and longer alkyl chain length facilitated complexation. • High amylose starch formed both VI and VII inclusion complexes with ARs-21. • In case of insufficient amylose, ARs were likely to adsorb on amylopectin. • The reduced digestion was due to the ordered structure or ARs inhibition on enzymes.

Effects of moisture content on digestible fragments and molecular structures of high amylose jackfruit starch prepared by improved extrusion cooking technology

The effects of different moisture contents on the digestible fragments and molecular structures of high amylose jackfruit starch were investigated. The digestible fragments and molecular structures of rapidly digestible starch, slowly digestible starch and resistant starch of high amylose jackfruit starch with different moisture contents prepared by improved extrusion cooking technology were analyzed. Decreasing the moisture content resulted in significant decrease in slowly digestible starch and resistant starch content (24.08% and 25.99%–17.59% and 16.60%), indicating that high amylose jackfruit starch with low moisture content was easier to digest. Compared to extruded control starches, the slowly digestible starch + resistant starch fraction and resistant starch samples exhibited higher gelatinization enthalpy, relative crystallinity, and short - range molecular order, but no significant difference was showed in gelatinization temperature. It was also found that the double helix degree, crystallinity and order degree of the extruded controls, slowly digestible starch + resistant starch fractions and resistant starch samples were increased with increasing moisture content, from 1.74 J/g, 1.52% and 0.207–9.52 J/g, 32.54% and 0.779, respectively. The above results were further supported by the microstructural and porosity analysis that the extruded samples were changed from coarser surface structure to more compact structure with increasing moisture content. All these results indicate that moisture content affects the digestible fragments and molecular structures of starch. Therefore, it can provide a theoretical basis for the modification of high amylose starch, especially for the modification of resistant starch. • High amylose jackfruit starch (HA-JFSS) were prepared by improved extrusion cooking technology. • Different moistures content affected the digestible fragment and molecular structure of HA-JFSS. • Decreasing moisture content improved the in vitro digestibility of extruded HA-JFSS. • High moisture content HA-JFSS showed higher double helix, long/short-range molecular order. • The analysis of SEM demonstrated the results of the DSC, XRD and FITR.

Green double crosslinked starch-alginate hydrogel regulated by sustained calcium ion-gluconolactone release for human motion monitoring

Ionically conductive hydrogels can be used to produce wearable devices because of their mechanical flexibility and intelligent sensing. However, utilizing petrochemical or synthetic materials via complex procedures remains a challenge to sustainability. Here we report a new simple strategy to fabricate a double network hydrogel from natural ingredients of corn starch and sodium alginate. Starch-alginate hydrogel exhibited porous microstructure and high strength which can be modulated by appropriate calcium ion concentration. Because of the hydrogen bond and ion crosslinking, the starch-alginate hydrogel could be restored to its original shape after being compressed, twisted and stretched. The hydrogel prepared with high amylose starch and sodium alginate with 0.4 % (W/V) calcium ion addition had the highest breaking strength (281.51 kPa) and toughness (61.61 kJ/m3) at 160 % strain. The third harmonic wave revealed the transition process between the formation and destruction of the hydrogel network structure. The conductive hydrogel can adhere to human skin to monitor different motions and vocal cord vibrations. Our research brings new inspiration to the design of environment-friendly wearable electronic devices which can be manufactured in large quantity at extremely low cost.

Preparation of hydroxypropyl starch/polyvinyl alcohol composite nanofibers films and improvement of hydrophobic properties

Starch-derived edible films have great potential as biodegradable food packaging and biomedical materials, in this study, we adopted a green method to prepare starch-based composite electrospun nanofibers films. The hydroxypropyl starches (HPS) were prepared to improve native starch solubility and properties, and a series of blend solutions were prepared with different HPS/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) weight ratios. The comparison of the properties of HPS/PVA (HPA) nanofibers with different amylose contents were evaluated, and the fibers fabricated from hydroxypropyl high amylose starch (HP-HAS) had more continuous and homogeneous morphologies compared to the other starch fibers, it was also found that the addition of HP-HAS in the film has better mechanical properties than pure PVA film. Thus, to improve the hydrophobicity of the film, the HP-HAS/PVA (HPA(H)) nanofiber was selected for the hydrophobic study by the citric acid (CA) treatment. The hydrophobic surface was formed on the HPA(H) film by CA self-assembled coating with a water contact angle changed from 30.95° up to 100.74°. This study successfully prepared the modified starch/PVA composite nanofibers and established a simple method of self-assembled hydrophobic modification to improve water stability. Therefore, this green strategy is an alternative candidate in further study for food packaging and relative areas.

Oxidized high-amylose starch as pickering stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsion and delivery of bioactive compound

Polysaccharide based emulsions have received considerable attention due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility and food-safety. In this study, oxidized high-amylose starch (OHAS) is adopted for stabilization of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Results showed that OHAS with oxidation degree of 90% (DO90-OHAS) exhibited higher wettability with three-phase contact angle of 70.6°. The obtained emulsion was stable within a wide range of different solution condition, with pH ranging from 3 to 7, salt concentration as high as 1.0 M and temperature ranging from -25 to 80 ℃. The gel-like network structure of DO90-OHAS effectively stabilized the emulsion and prevented the aggregation of oil droplets under different pH, as evidenced by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation. Furthermore, DO90-OHAS based emulsion prepared at different pH showed satisfactory long-term storage stability (up to 30 days). The fabricated emulsion was utilized for encapsulation of hydrophobic bioactive substances, with ∼72.5% encapsulation efficiency for β-carotene. The DO90-OHAS based emulsion enabled the controlled-release of β-carotene in vitro, with antioxidant activity maintained ∼50% of initial activity when exposed to elevated temperature (80°C). This research may provide a new avenue for OHAS based Pickering emulsions preparation and bioactive components delivery.

LBSUN309 The Effect Of Prebiotics In Newly Diagnosed Youth With Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

Abstract Acetylated and butyrylated high amylose starch (HAMS-AB) is a prebiotic that is effective in T1D prevention in mouse models. It alters the gut microbiome profile towards bacterial fermenters with increases short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production which improves glycemia, insulin sensitivity and secretion. The objective of this pilot study is to assess the effect of oral HAMS-AB for 4 weeks on glycemia, microbial metabolite and SCFA production in newly diagnosed (<2 years of diagnosis) youth with T1D. Thus far, we have enrolled 7 subjects with 1 early drop out due to nausea secondary to the prebiotic. The mean±SD age in the remaining 6 was 14.4±1.8 yrs, diabetes duration 18.6±6.3 months, 4/6 were female and White, all with BMI of <85th%. The prebiotic was safe and well-tolerated in all 6 who remained in the study. We assessed glycemia changes pre and post-intervention and the percent time in range (TIR) from continuous glucose monitoring data over a 4 week period increased significantly: 61. 0% vs. 71.8%, X2 18.2, p=0. 001. Stool SCFA levels were measured in 4 subjects, and butyrate levels increased post-prebiotic (8.1±9.8 vs 22.6± 6.4mmol SCFA/kg fecal material, p=0. 047). Serum and plasma Hippurate levels (a microbial metabolite associated with increased gut bacterial diversity and improved glycemia) increased significantly after 4 weeks of prebiotic consumption compared to before in all 6 individuals (p=0. 028 for serum and p=0. 033 for plasma, respectively). In summary, the prebiotic HAMS-AB was safe in adolescents with T1D. It significantly increased the percent TIR, serum and plasma Hippurate levels and stool butyrate levels. Enrollment continues as collection of samples from more participants should allow for a more conclusive analysis. Presentation: Sunday, June 12, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

High-porosity carbon nanofibers prepared from polyacrylonitrile blended with amylose starch for application in supercapacitors

Porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) have been the hotpot material for supercapacitor due to their porous structure, outstanding conductivity, excellent electrochemical properties, and high specific surface area. The template method is a facile approach to prepare PCNFs through blending a thermally decomposable substance, subsequently heating treatment. High amylose starch (HAS) is a natural carbohydrate including carbon, hydrogen and oxygen elements. Herein, a simple template method utilizing HAS as the sacrificial polymer to prepare porous carbon nanofibers with high specific surface areas has been reported. The resulted carbon nanofibers have a hierarchical micro/meso porous structure with high level of microporous pores, more importantly, their specific surface area can reach 1204 m2 g−1. The electrochemical performances of PCNFs electrodes are studied using a three-electrode system and button-type devices. The specific capacitance of carbon nanofiber electrode is 344 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 when 20 wt% HAS is added. The cycling durability of corresponding device is 99.9% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles. And the maximum energy density of 12 Wh kg−1 is obtained at a lower power density of 125 W kg−1. As a green natural material, HAS may provide a low-cost solution to prepare high-performance carbon nanofibers for energy storage applications.

Enhancing Resistant Starch Content of High Amylose Rice Starch through Heat-Moisture Treatment for Industrial Application.

The objective of the present study is to enhance the resistant starch (RS) content of high amylose rice starch with heat–moisture treatment (HMT) for industrial application. The optimized HMT condition for achieving the highest RS content established using response surface methodology (RSM) was a temperature of 100 °C, moisture content of 24.2%, and a time of 11.5 h. Upon HMT, the RS content increased from 32.1% for native starch to 46.4% in HMT starch with optimized condition. HMT of the starches reduced the solubility and swelling power. The surface of HMT starch granules was more irregular than native starch. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak intensity at 2θ = 5° was greatly reduced by HMT, and the peaks at 22.7° and 24.2° were merged. HMT increased the gelatinization temperature and reduced the gelatinization enthalpy. HMT provides a method for the production of high-yield RS2 with high amylose rice starch in industrial application.

Effect of Microwave Irradiation on Acid Hydrolysis of Faba Bean Starch: Physicochemical Changes of the Starch Granules

Starch is the most abundant carbohydrate in legumes (22–45 g/100 g), with distinctive properties such as high amylose and resistant starch content, longer branch chains of amylopectin, and a C-type pattern arrangement in the granules. The present study concentrated on the investigation of hydrolyzed faba bean starch using acid, assisted by microwave energy, to obtain a possible food-grade coating material. For evaluation, the physicochemical, morphological, pasting, and structural properties were analyzed. Hydrolyzed starches developed by microwave energy in an acid medium had low viscosity, high solubility indexes, diverse amylose contents, resistant starch, and desirable thermal and structural properties to be used as a coating material. The severe conditions (moisture, 40%; pure hydrochloric acid, 4 mL/100 mL; time, 60 s; and power level, 6) of microwave-treated starches resulted in low viscosity values, high amylose content and high solubility, as well as high absorption indexes, and reducing sugars. These hydrolyzed starches have the potential to produce matrices with thermo-protectants to formulate prebiotic/probiotic (symbiotic) combinations and amylose-based inclusion complexes for functional compound delivery. This emergent technology, a dry hydrolysis route, uses much less energy consumption in a shorter reaction time and without effluents to the environment compared to conventional hydrolysis.

Controlled release starch-lipid implant for the therapy of severe malaria

Parenteral depot systems can provide a constant release of drugs over a few days to months. Poly-(lactic acid) (PLA) and Poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) are the most commonly used polymers in the production of these systems. Finding alternatives to these polymers is of great importance to avoid certain drawbacks of these polymers (e.g. microacidity) and to increase the selection possibilities. In this study, different types of starch in combination with glycerol monostearate (GMS) were developed and investigated for their physicochemical properties and release characteristics. The noninvasive method of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) was used to study the release kinetics and mechanisms of nitroxide model drugs. The studies demonstrated the general suitability of the system composed of high amylose starch and GMS to form a controlled release system. For further characterization of the prepared system, formulations with different proportions of starch and GMS, loaded with the antimalarial agents artesunate or artemether were prepared. The implants were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and texture analysis. The in vitro release studies demonstrated the sustained release of artemether over 6 days from a starch-based implant which matches desired kinetic for the treatment of severe malaria. In summary, a starch-based implant with appropriate mechanical properties was produced that can be a potential candidate for the treatment of severe malaria.