Application of Annealed Bambara Starch as a Stabilizer in Ice Cream Production
, Oluwafemi A. Adebo 3 and Samson A. Oyeyinka 3,4,*
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe authors evaluated the starch of Bambara groundnut annealed at various temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60°C) as a stabilizer for ice cream. The ice cream products were compared with those conventionally stabilized using xanthan gum and guar gum. Several parameters of the ice cream products were determined, including overrun, foam stability, viscosity, melting rate, and sensory evaluation.
The following suggestions are offered for revision.
1. Several plants, such as soy, coconut, and walnut, have been used as milk substitutes in ice cream production. The authors should discuss the potential of using bambara groundnut as a milk substitute in ice cream production.
Line 32:
“Vigna subterraenea” should be corrected to “Vigna subterranea”
Line 87:
How to prepare the starch of Bambara groundnut? The authors should describe the method.
Line 97~104:
Section 2.3 is same as Section 2.2. The section shall be deleted.
Line 106:
“Wang (2014)” is not including in reference.
Line 110:
“(0.25 g = 0.125 g)” The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Line 123:
13°F is not equal to (15 °C - 25 °C). The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Line 132:
“(W2 – W1 )/W2” should be corrected to “(W2 – W1 )/W1”
The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Line 154~155:
“The data obtained was used to determine the melting resistance (g/min).”
Is it used to determine the melting rate (g/min) or melting resistance (g/min)? How to calculate the melting resistance? The authors should describe the method in detail.
Line 176:
“table” should be corrected to “Table 1”.
Line 185:
“3. Results” should be corrected to “3. Results and Discussions”
Line 188:
“Fugure 1” should be corrected to “Figure 1”.
Line 199:
“explianed" should be corrected to “explained".
Line 201~202:
“High viscosity presumably produced ice cream of better consistency, since particles velocity is slower at high viscosity.”
Please rewrite the sentence and cite the reference.
Line 261~265: Section 3.4
“The highest melting resistance was recorded for ice cream stabilized with xanthan and guar gum, which is the control (Table 2).”
However, the data shown in table 2 is the melt-down rate. The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Line 291: Table 2
1. In table 2, is it the melting rate (g/min) or melting resistance (g/min)?
2. Why are the last two decimal values of the standard error always zeros?
Line 419:
Reference 26 could not be downloaded from the journal website. Please change another reference.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Reviewer #1
Comments: The authors evaluated the starch of Bambara groundnut annealed at various temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60°C) as a stabilizer for ice cream. The ice cream products were compared with those conventionally stabilized using xanthan gum and guar gum. Several parameters of the ice cream products were determined, including overrun, foam stability, viscosity, melting rate, and sensory evaluation. The following suggestions are offered for revision. Several plants, such as soy, coconut, and walnut, have been used as milk substitutes in ice cream production. The authors should discuss the potential of using bambara groundnut as a milk substitute in ice cream production.
Response: We thank the reviewer for their constructive comments on our manuscript. All the issues raised have been addressed in the revised chapter which we are sending to you. Changes are made in red font, while deletions are not shown. We hope that our responses below are satisfactory.
While several plants like soy, coconut, and walnut have been successfully used as milk substitutes in ice cream production, our study focused on a different application of Bambara groundnut. We specifically utilized Bambara groundnut starch as a stabilizer in the ice cream, rather than using Bambara milk as a substitute. Our aim was to explore the potential of Bambara groundnut starch in enhancing the texture and stability of ice cream. Future studies could indeed investigate the potential of Bambara milk as a milk substitute, but our current research was targeted towards the functional properties of the starch.
Comment: Line 32: “Vigna subterraenea” should be corrected to “Vigna subterranea”
Response: This has been corrected.
Comment: Line 87: How to prepare the starch of Bambara groundnut? The authors should describe the method.
Response: The method followed in producing starch from Bambara groundnut has been provided in the revised manuscript.
Comment: Line 97~104: Section 2.3 is the same as Section 2.2. The section shall be deleted.
Response: We apologize for repeating the same details in section 2.2 also in section 2.3. This has been deleted and the numbering corrected throughout the manuscript.
Comment: Line 106: “Wang (2014)” is not included in the reference.
Response: This has been included
Comment: Line 110: “(0.25 g = 0.125 g)” The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Response: This should be a ratio, not an equality sign. This has been corrected.
Comment: Line 123: 13°F is not equal to (15 °C - 25 °C). The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Response: This should read less than 15oC. We apologize for this error. It has now been corrected.
Comment: Line 132: “(W2 – W1)/W2” should be corrected to “(W2 – W1 )/W1”The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Response: This has been done.
Comment: Line 154~155: “The data obtained was used to determine the melting resistance (g/min).” Is it used to determine the melting rate (g/min) or melting resistance (g/min)? How to calculate the melting resistance? The authors should describe the method in detail.
Response: The data was melting rate and not resistance. We wanted to explain that samples with higher melting rates will have poor melting resistance. We have now deleted this statement for clarity.
Comment: Line 176: “Table” should be corrected to “Table 1”.
Response: This has been corrected.
Comment: Line 185: “3. Results” should be corrected to “3. Results and Discussions”
Response: This has been corrected.
Comment: Line 188: “Fugure 1” should be corrected to “Figure 1”.
Response: We apologize for the typographical error. This has now been corrected.
Comment: Line 199: “explianed" should be corrected to “explained".
Response: This has been corrected.
Comment: Line 201~202: “High viscosity presumably produced ice cream of better consistency, since particles velocity is slower at high viscosity.” Please rewrite the sentence and cite the reference.
Response: The sentence has been re-written, and a reference provided as requested.
Comment: Line 261~265: Section 3.4 “The highest melting resistance was recorded for ice cream stabilized with xanthan and guar gum, which is the control (Table 2).” However, the data shown in table 2 is the melt-down rate. The authors should be carefully checked for correctness.
Response: We apologize for the confusion. As mentioned earlier, ice-creams with high melting rate will have low resistance to melting. We have deleted resistance and stick to melting rate for consistency.
Comment: Line 291: Table 2 1. In table 2, is it the melting rate (g/min) or melting resistance (g/min)?
Response: It is melting rate, and this has been corrected throughout the manuscript.
Comment: 2. Why are the last two decimal values of the standard error always zeros?
Response: Most of the last two decimal values of the standard error are zeros because, after our experimental measurements, we encountered a very low variability among replicates. This entailed that the standard errors automatically became zero because the variability was so small even when rounded to two decimal places. Reporting extremely low variability might seem uncommon, but it accurately represents the consistency of our data. We made sure that the measurements and statistical analyses were rigorously conducted to maintain the integrity and reliability of the results presented in our manuscript.
Comment: Line 419: Reference 26 could not be downloaded from the journal website. Please change to another reference.
Response: The journal can be requested directly from one of the authors. Only the abstract is available online. Currently, we have the printed copy of the manuscript.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. Is the formula ratio of the ice cream studied in this article likely to form the best binding force with annealed bambara starch.
2. The author should discuss and analyze the impact of different processing temperatures on annealed bambara starch, and then analyze the impact on the expansion of ice cream.
3. In the correlation analysis, the author did not discuss the influence of temperature, which cannot directly form a potential correlation with the introduction of the abstract.
4. At present, there is relatively little research on the indicators involved in the article, which does not meet the quality of the journal. It is recommended to reject the manuscript.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageNone
Author Response
Reviewer #2:
Comment: Is the formula ratio of the ice cream studied in this article likely to form the best binding force with annealed Bambara starch?
Response: Thank you for your question regarding the formulation ratio of the ice cream studied in our manuscript titled "Application of Annealed Bambara Starch as a Stabilizer in Ice Cream Production." The formulation ratio used in our study was selected based on preliminary experiments and existing literature to ensure a standard and comparable basis for assessing the effectiveness of annealed Bambara starch as a stabilizer. The specific proportions of milk fat, milk solids non-fat, sugar, and other ingredients were chosen to reflect common ice cream formulations while allowing us to isolate and study the impact of the annealed Bambara starch.
We aimed to maintain a balance between the various components to achieve desirable sensory and textural properties in the ice cream. The quantity of annealed Bambara starch (0.25 g) was determined through several trials and errors where different concentrations were tested to find the right quantity that provided noticeable stabilization effects without adversely affecting the overall composition and taste of the ice cream. This formulation ratio yielded positive results in terms of stabilization and melt-down rate. However, we acknowledge that further optimization could potentially enhance the binding interaction between the ice cream matrix and the annealed Bambara starch. It is recommended that further studies could explore varying the ratios of the ingredients, particularly the starch concentration, to ascertain the most effective formulation for achieving the best binding force and overall ice cream quality.
Comment: The author should discuss and analyze the impact of different processing temperatures on annealed Bambara starch, and then analyze the impact on the expansion of ice cream.
Response: Thank you for your comment. We have thoroughly discussed and analyzed the impact of different processing temperatures on annealed Bambara starch in a previous publication(https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13635). Repeating this detailed analysis in the current manuscript would be redundant.
Comment: In the correlation analysis, the author did not discuss the influence of temperature, which cannot directly form a potential correlation with the introduction of the abstract.
Response: Thank you for your feedback. The correlation analysis was performed to compare the responses across the entire sample set, making it challenging to isolate and directly correlate the influence of temperature.
Comment: At present, there is relatively little research on the indicators involved in the article, which does not meet the quality of the journal. It is recommended to reject the manuscript.
Response: Thank you for your feedback and careful consideration of our manuscript. We understand your perspective regarding the current research landscape on the indicators discussed in our article. However, we believe our study fills an important gap in the literature, as evidenced by the positive recommendations for acceptance from two other reviewers. We have diligently addressed all issues raised by reviewers, including refining our analysis and discussing the implications of our findings. Furthermore, our study highlights the potential of Bambara starch modified through annealing as an alternative stabilizing agent for ice cream production. Annealed starch has demonstrated improved freeze-thaw resistance compared to native starch, suggesting its suitability for enhancing the stability and quality of ice cream formulations. We kindly request reconsideration of our manuscript for publication, emphasizing its contribution to advancing knowledge in this field. We are open to any additional suggestions or revisions that would further strengthen the manuscript.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authorsplease see the attachment
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Reviewer #3
Comment: We thank the reviewer for their constructive comments on our manuscript. All the issues raised have been addressed in the revised chapter which we are sending to you. Changes are made in red font, while deletions are not shown. We hope that our responses below are satisfactory.
Starch represents an abundant and safe carbohydrate in nature, and it plays an important role in daily life and industry applications. S Oyeyinka et al. investigated the use of annealed Bambara starch in ice cream production. By evaluating foam stability, viscosity, meltdown rate, and most importantly sensory characteristics tests, they demonstrated that annealed Bambara starch, especially annealed at 45 °C, is a potential candidate for a cost-effective and locally sourced stabilizing agent for ice cream, providing an alternative stabilizer to conventionally used yet more expensive ones. The research results would probably benefit the local community in practice, which is the meaning of research. The manuscript is wellwritten and organized, clearly delivering the purpose, research methods, and results. The research addresses the application of carbohydrate biomacromolecules in the food industry, aligning with the scope of the journal Macromol. Overall, the reviewer recommends the acceptance without significant revision.
Response: Thank you for your comprehensive and positive feedback on our study. We are thrilled that our research on annealed Bambara starch in ice cream production resonates with practical applications and aligns well with the journal's scope.
Comment: Other comments: Section 2.3 (lines 97 to 104) is a repeated content as section 2.2 (lines 88 to 95)
Response: We thank the reviewer for this observation. This has now been deleted.
Comment: In Figure 1 (page 5) and Figure 3 (page 7), both control and A45 are marked as ‘a’, which is inconsistent with Figure 2 (page 6). Is there any implication about the labels?
Response: The alphabets on the figures was used to indicate level of significance. We have included a statement to clarify this in the revised manuscript. The statement read. The letters denote different levels of statistical significance (p < 0.05). Bars with the same letters indicate no significant differences between the samples.
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsPlease see the annotated pdf file for comments. Thsi manuscript can be published after minor revisions.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Reviewer #4
We thank the reviewer for their constructive comments on our manuscript. All the issues raised have been addressed in the revised chapter which we are sending to you. Changes are made in red font, while deletions are not shown. We hope that our responses below are satisfactory.
Comment: Is Bambara considered pulse?
Response: Yes, Bambara is a pulse grain as it has an oil content of less than 10%.
Comment: Authors may discuss more about functionality modification.
Response: We have included additional information around functionality modification as suggested.
Comment: Authors logically explained the motivation/objective of their manuscript
Response: We thank the reviewer for recognizing the clarity in our manuscript's motivation and objectives.
Comment: why 2.2 and 2.3 are identical paragraphs? Please remove either of them by mentioning that the method is already described.
Response: We apologize for the redundancy of details present in both section 2.2 and section 2.3." This has been deleted and the numbering corrected throughput the manuscript.
Comment: what is meant by equal sign of two different weights? were different batches mixed together?
Response: This should be a ratio, not an equality sign. This has been corrected.
Comment: what is the formulation of 400g?
Response: We thank you for this insightful question. The total quantity of ingredients used for the formulation of ice cream was 400g. This is in the manuscript.
Comment: Is 15 minutes sufficient?
Response: Yes, 15 minutes of freezing time was sufficient. However, other timeframes can be explored if possible.
Comment: it must be a sub-zero temperature in oC
Response: The temperature for hardening ice cream should be sub-zero °C to ensure proper freezing and textural properties. The correct temperature for the hardening process should be "less than 13 °F (approximately -10.5 °C)." This ensures that the ice cream hardens properly and achieves the desired texture and stability.
This correction (approximately -10.5 °C) has been made in the manuscript.
Comment: when was the mix collected? The viscosity will change with temperature.
Response: The mix was collected immediately in its melted form after the ice cream was made. The viscosity didn’t change with temperature considering that the method used in checking for it was done in a completely ambient temperature. The method used can be seen in section 2.7
Comment: This data is missing. what was the measurement temperature?
Response: There was no measurement temperature used. The measurement temperature was done in a completely ambient temperature and the viscosity measurement was taken when the ice cream was in its melted form. The Brookfield Viscometer was used to determine it and a description of the method can be found in section 2.7.
Comment: table 1 shows different attributes
Response: Yes, Table 1 shows different attributes because they were the range of sensory descriptors used to determine the sensory properties of the ice creams.
Comment: Is it percentages?
Response: Yes
Comment: therefore 45 is optimum annealing temperature as the viscosity decreases with increase of annealing temperature, thus degrading the ice cream quality
starch stabilizer is not improving the foam stability. Therefore, not advantageous.
Response: This is not the case in this study. We found that Bambara starch annealed at 45oC showed higher viscosity in our earlier study. Earlier studies also suggested that higher viscosity likely results in ice cream with better consistency because it slows down the movement of particles. Thus, it is advantageous for ice-cream production. Indeed, this sample showed comparable overrun and viscosity to the control, with no significant differences.
Comment: Is there any spectroscopic method to analyze the percentages of long chain and short chain amylopectin? That would confirm authors' hypothesis.
Response: There are no spectroscopic method currently used to analyze chain length distribution of amylopectin. The only method available is Size Exclusion Chromatography. We do not have the facility to do this in our laboratory and this was why we could not report this in our study. We hope to seek collaborations to get this done in future studies.
Comment: what is the variation in molecular wt. with annealing temperature? that would give a rough estimate about the long and short chain molecules. what is the disadvantage of higher viscosity? how much is high?
Response: We cannot estimate the impact of the annealing temperature on the variation in the chain length distribution of amylopectin. However, earlier studies have suggested changes in chain length after annealing, which has been reported in the manuscript. Su et al. [37] noted that annealing altered the distribution, increasing the proportion of shorter chains [A (DP 6–12) and B1 (DP 13–24)] compared to longer chains B2 (DP 25–36) and B3 (DP > 37).
Comment: There are several factors that affect ice cream viscosity, authors' hypothesis of Bambara starch annealing temperature only responsible for observed reduced viscosity is oversimplification of facts.
Response: Thank you for your insightful comment. We acknowledge that multiple factors influence ice cream viscosity, including fat content, sugar concentration, and stabilizer type. Our hypothesis focused on the annealing temperature of Bambara starch as a significant factor due to its impact on the starch's structural properties. However, we agree that attributing the observed reduced viscosity solely to this factor is an oversimplification. Future studies will consider a broader range of variables to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting ice cream viscosity.
Comment: what is the role of a stabilizer? What does it stabilize?
Response: The primary role of a stabilizer in ice cream is to improve texture, consistency, and shelf life by preventing the formation of large ice crystals during freezing and storage. Stabilizers also help to maintain the smoothness and creaminess of the product by reducing the rate of melting and improving the overall body and mouthfeel.
Comment: Forming a 3D network would efficiently transfer the heat, thereby promoting ice cream melting.
Response: Regarding the formation of a 3D network, it is important to clarify that stabilizers do not necessarily promote ice cream melting. Instead, they create a 3D network that entraps water, fats, and air, which helps to maintain the ice cream's structure and slow down the melting process. This network enhances the viscosity and stability of the ice cream mix, contributing to a better-quality product.
Comment: The authors have correctly pointed out that more studies are required to understand the structural changes with annealing temperature. When it is said that smaller and bigger grains, what is the dimension we are talking about? If 3D network is formed and that is responsible for impeding heat dissipation/flow, then it also likely that bigger molecule will help in this. This is in contrast to the argument put forward by the authors.
Response: Thank you for your insightful comments. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify our points further. Regarding the dimensions of the smaller and bigger granules, we are referring to the range of granule sizes. Concerning the formation of a 3D network, we agree that larger molecules can contribute to impeding heat dissipation. However, our argument is based on the observation that annealing can lead to a more organized and stable crystalline structure within the starch granules, which enhances the formation of a 3D network. This network is more efficient at entrapping water, fats, and air, thereby improving the viscosity and stability of the ice cream mix. We acknowledge that larger molecules can indeed play a role in this process, but our focus was on the overall structural changes induced by annealing and how they contribute to the improved functionality of the starch as a stabilizer in ice-cream. We believe that both the granule size distribution and the crystalline structure play crucial roles in the observed effects. We hope this clarification addresses your concerns, and we will include these detailed explanations in the revised manuscript to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the structural changes and their impact on the ice cream's properties.
Comment: why the control was not directly bought from the market, rather making yourselves?
Response: We chose to make the control ourselves rather than purchasing it directly from the market to ensure consistency and control over the ingredients and processes used. This approach allows us to accurately compare the effects of the modified Bambara starch with a precisely formulated control, ensuring the reliability and validity of our results. Additionally, making the control in-house ensures it is free from any external variables or additives that might be present in commercial products.
Comment: please avoid repeating section 2.9 here.
Response: This has been deleted.
Comment: do you mean taste aroma and color only?
Response: Yes, we have deleted mouthfeel and body
Comment: not really compositing will be a good option
Response: We have deleted this to avoid confusion.
Comment: Bambara starch placed in a foil-sealed beaker suspended in distilled water (1:2 w/v) and heated for 24 h in a sealed container placed in a water bath at varying annealing temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60°C), was used for stabilizing the ice cream. On the other hand, the control sample stabilizer xanthan gum and guar gum were not annealed. Why?
Response: Xanthan gum and guar gum are conventionally used as commercial stabilizers. This study aimed to assess the application of modified Bambara starch as a stabilizer in ice cream. Since Bambara starch is not currently used in the food industry, we explored its potential for this purpose. Therefore, annealing the commercial stabilizers was unnecessary.
Comment: Moreover, why un-annealed Barbara starch was not tested as a stabilizer?
Response: We did not use unannealed Bambara starch because, in our earlier study, the annealed starches displayed superior functionality (https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13635).
Comment: Why it was heated for 24 hrs only, what might have been the effect if 10 hrs or 48 hrs annealing was done? Why not 40oC, was used as annealing for 48 hours? In other words, there is more room for experimentation and validation of the results presented here. The molecular structure and chemical information are missing in this paper.
Response: We thank the reviewer for the comments and questions raised around the use of varying annealing times. While we agree that we could vary the annealing time, majority of the studies (13) on annealing focused on short time of 24 hrs compared to few studies that studied 72 hr (7), 4 hrs (1), 48 hrs (1) as reviewed (Impact of heat-moisture treatment and annealing in starches: A review- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.08.064). The choice of 24 hours as a commonly studied time for annealing is influenced by several factors, equilibration time and optimal effects. An early study on Bambara also reported 24 hrs annealing time (https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-3803(20020901)46:5%3C311::AID-FOOD311%3E3.0.CO;2-Z). In a previous study by our team, we also assessed the impact of annealing of different annealing temperatures for 24 hrs (https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13635). We hope that future studies on Bambara starch may explore varying annealing times on functionality and structure.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe authors response well, so I have no more suggestion.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article can be considered acceptable
