Search Results (41)

This study investigated the functional properties of arabinoxylan (AX) fractions—total (TAX), water-unextractable (WUAX), and water-extractable (WEAX)—isolated from three domestic wheat brans and their impact on flour functionality and noodle quality. WUAX was the predominant AX type, and it exhibited the highest water-absorption capacity, resulting in firmer dough and noodles but reduced visual and structural uniformity. By contrast, WEAX, characterized by a lower molecular weight and higher solubility, produced softer, more ductile dough and improved antioxidant properties, as indicated by elevated total phenolic content and scavenging activity against 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical. TAX demonstrated an intermediate behavior between that of WUAX and WEAX. AX addition produced no significant effect on gluten quality based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-sedimentation volume but substantially influenced the water solvent-retention capacity, dough development, and noodle texture. Functional differences were also observed among the wheat varieties, suggesting that both AX type and bran source affect performance. These findings demonstrate the potential for the targeted application of AX fractions to enhance the processing quality and nutritional value of wheat-based products, such as noodles, providing a basis for optimizing the use of functional ingredients in cereal food formulations. Full article

There is a growing interest within the food industry sector in applying natural and sustainable methods to improve functional, nutritional, and technological properties of foods. In this regard, sprouting and spontaneous sourdough (SD) fermentation, are emerging as promising technological solutions in the bakery industry. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of using unsprouted whole-wheat flour (USWF) and sprouted whole-wheat flours (SWFs), obtained under controlled conditions (20 and 25 °C for 24 h), on the chemical and nutritional properties of spontaneous SD and their impact on whole-wheat bread technological quality. SDs were prepared with a dough yield of 200, incubated at 30 °C for 24 h, and refreshed daily for 7 days. In general, an increase in both yeast and lactic acid bacteria counts was observed in all SD samples. All SDs showed reduced α-amylase activity and enhanced contents of free amino acids groups, water-extractable arabinoxylans, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity, along with lower phytic acid content. Substituting 20% of USWF with SD improved bread volume and crumb softness. Notably, breads made with sourdough prepared from 20% sprouted whole-wheat flour (SWF25) promoted the formation of volatile compounds associated with pleasant aromas, which may increase consumer acceptability. Promising nutritional and sensory advantages could result from combining fermentation and sprouting. Full article

Arabinoxylan is a polysaccharide with film-forming properties, present in corn fiber, and a low-value by-product. The extract has a deep brown color, producing films of the same shade, which may not be appealing. This study addresses, for the first time, the adsorption of colored compounds present in an arabinoxylan extract using resin MN102. The resin successfully adsorbed the colored compounds from the arabinoxylan extract. After four consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles, the efficiency of the resin was similar, only decreasing from 63.3% to 52.9%. Langmuir and Freundlich models were fitted to the results of adsorption isotherm experiments, with the Freundlich model demonstrating the best fit to the experimental results. A fixed-bed column loaded with the resin was used for the removal of the colored compounds from the arabinoxylan extract, and the effect of the volumetric flow rate was investigated. The Yan and log-Gompertz models showed the best fit to the experimental breakthrough curves. This study systematically evaluated the adsorption conditions, providing a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the resin in the removal of the colored compounds. Additionally, the ability of the extract to maintain its film-forming properties after decolorization was evaluated, and some of the film’s key characteristics were evaluated, namely its color, solubility in water and mechanical properties. Full article

The aim of the research was to analyse the effect of different extraction temperatures on the colligative, hydrodynamic, and rheological properties of a water-soluble AXs fractions. The research material consisted of raw water extracts of arabinoxylans obtained from the husk at the following temperatures: 40 °C (AX40), 60 °C (AX60), 80 °C (AX80), and 100 °C (AX100). These were characterised in terms of their hydrodynamic, osmotic, and rheological properties, as well as the average molecular mass of the polysaccharide fractions. An increase in extraction temperature resulted in an increase in weight-average molecular mass, from 2190 kDa (AX40) to 3320 kDa (AX100). The values of the osmotic average molecular mass were higher than those obtained from GPC, and decreased with increasing extraction temperature. The dominance of biopolymer–biopolymer interactions was evident in the shape of the autocorrelation function, which did not disappear as the extraction temperature and concentration increased. Furthermore, the values of the second virial coefficient were negative, which is indicative of the tendency of biopolymer chains to aggregate. The rheological properties of the extracts changed from being described by a power-law model (AX40 and AX60) to being described by the full non-linear De Kee model (AX80 and AX100). Full article

Decoctions of stem barks from Aucoumea klaineana, Canarium schweinfurthii, Pentadesma butyracea and Scorodophloeus zenkeri are used against affections of irritable bowel syndrome in Gabonese traditional medicine. In the present study, we aim to determine whether the bark polysaccharides may contribute to the activity of these plants against the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. To this end, we investigated the structure and the pharmacological activity of polysaccharides extracted from their stem barks. The pectic and hemicellulose polysaccharides were isolated, and their sugar compositions were determined by gas chromatography. In addition, analysis by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry of oligosaccharides released after digestion with an endo-xylanase indicated that glucuronoarabinoxylans are the main hemicellulose of stem barks. We then evaluated the influence of the polysaccharide fractions on the spontaneous contractile activity of rat ileal smooth muscle and the cholinergic system. Spasmolytic activity of pectic fractions from all stem barks, as well as lemon polygalacturonic acid, were observed, indicating that these extracts exhibit a myorelaxant activity. In contrast, the bark hemicellulose fractions, as well as commercially available beechwood glucuronoxylan and wheat arabinoxylan, were demonstrated to be able to increase the basal contractile activity of smooth muscle. These data show that, beyond physicochemical effects affecting the bowel water content, plant polysaccharides have also an impact on the spontaneous smooth muscle contractility, the main mechanism involved in the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal disorders. Full article

In this study, feruloylated arabinoxylans (FAXs) extracted from nixtamalized maize bran were assessed as a functional ingredient in white bread. FAXs were added at percentages of 0.15% and 0.30% to bread, and a control sample without FAXs was prepared. Regarding texture profile analysis, hardness values in bread treated with FAXs ranged from 34.32 N (T5) to 51.03 N (T3), with all values for FAXs-added bread being lower than 64.43 N obtained for the control sample (TC). With respect to color, most of the FAX-treated samples had higher overall values than the control sample, with L* values ranging from 50.49 (T4) to 59.40 (T6). The total color difference (ΔE) values ranged from 2.07 (T2) to 6.32 (T6), indicating differences between the control sample and the FAX-treated samples. In the analysis of proximate composition, all FAX-treated bread had higher levels of crude fiber content than the control sample, and water activity (aw) values were lower in the control sample than in bread treated with FAXs. Regarding total phenols, FAX-treated bread ranged from 1.57 (T6) to 1.98 (T1) mgFAE/g, being higher than the 1.24 mgFAE/g found in the control sample (TC). The antioxidant capacity levels, namely, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP, were 9.36–17.01, 8.86–17.64, and 3.05–5.07 µmolTE/g, respectively. Thus, it is possible to conclude that adding FAXs to bread formulations improves the hardness, crude fiber content, and functional properties of bread. Full article

The effect of integrated and intensive grain production technologies on the content and properties of chemical components in rye (Secale cereale L.) grain of new varieties is not known. This study aimed to examine the effect of production technology on the content and properties of chemical components of rye grain. Grain from four Polish rye varieties obtained as a result of integrated and intensive production was examined. In general, the use of intensive technology resulted in receiving a 7.9% higher yield of grain with a 3.7% higher content of starch, characterized by a higher share of amylose and lower molar mass compared to grain cultivated using the integrated method. Moreover, grain from intensive production contained 0.6% more water-soluble arabinoxylan of a high molar mass but a lower content of ferulic acid, compared to grain obtained by the integrated method. Rye grain from intensive production contained 0.4% more protein, 0.3% more soluble dietary fiber, and similar amounts of phytates than grain cultivated using the integrated method. Regardless of the production method, the hybrid varieties KWS Vinetto and KWS Bono had the highest grain yield and grain with a low content of protein, total and soluble dietary fiber, and extractable arabinoxylan of a high molar mass but low content of ferulic acid. Full article

The present study reported, for the first time, the fabrication and characterization of electrospun nanofibers based on arabinoxylans (AXs) alone. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of ferulated water-extractable AXs recovered from wheat endosperm confirmed the molecule identity. The carbon and oxygen signals in X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) were recorded for this molecule. The AXs had weight-average molar mass, intrinsic viscosity, radius of gyration, and hydrodynamic radius values of 769 kDa, 4.51 dL/g, 55 nm, and 31 nm, respectively. The calculated AX characteristic ratio and persistence length were 10.7 and 3.2 nm, respectively, while the Mark–Houwink–Sakurada α and K constants were 0.31 and 9.4, respectively. These macromolecular characteristics indicate a molecular random coil structure in the polysaccharide. Using aqueous acetic acid 50% (v/v) as a solvent favored the Taylor cone establishment and the fabrication of electrospun nanofibers. The morphology of nanofibers was revealed by scanning electron microscopy images. Atomic force microscopy analysis of AX nanofibers exposed the material deposition in layers; these nanofibers had an average diameter of 177 nm. These nanofibers could be used as advanced biomaterials for biomedical applications such as wound dressing. Full article

Arabinoxylan, a key non-starch polysaccharide in wheat bran, significantly influences the quality and health benefits of wheat beer. This study aimed to investigate how wheat bran addition (0–20%) affects water-extracted arabinoxylan (WEAX) content and beer quality in 100% wheat malt beer. The study integrated physicochemical analyses (polysaccharide composition, WEAX molecular weight), process parameters (wort filtration time, foam stability), and sensory evaluation to establish structure–function relationships. Results showed that the WEAX content in beer increased from 1.36 mg/mL in pure malt beer (0% bran) to 2.25 mg/mL with 20% bran addition. Bran addition shortened wort filtration time by 20–45%. The molecular weight of WEAX was mainly 2936–7062 Da, enhancing foam expansion (36.18%) and stability (15.54%) due to elevated polymerization and arabinose-to-xylose (A/X) ratios. WEAX fractions (7062–10,134 Da and 859–2936 Da) correlated positively with beer turbidity and viscosity. Sensory analysis identified 15% bran as optimal for balanced quality. These findings demonstrate that bran addition enhances WEAX content, polymerization, and A/X ratios, improving foam performance, reducing filtration time, and optimizing beer quality without altering arabinogalactan, glucan, or mannose polymer content. Full article

With an increasing number of people pursuing a healthy diet, people have gradually realized the significance of adequate dietary fiber in their diets. In this experiment, wheat bran was collected from eight regions in China with different longitudes and latitudes, different altitudes, and average temperatures during the filling period to study the differences in the Arabinoxylan (AX) of wheat bran. The higher the altitude of the wheat production area was, the higher the AX content in the wheat bran was. Therefore, wheat bran from high-altitude production areas was selected for extracting AX. Different proportions of AX were added to wheat starch (WS) to explore the influence of different concentrations of AX on the gelatinization of WS, including the solubility, swelling capacity, rheological properties, and microstructure of the gelatinized products. Among these eight kinds of wheat, the content of total AX accounted for 11.90–15.79% of their dry weight, with the highest content being in wheat from Wuwei, Gansu. Among them, the content of water-soluble AX accounted for approximately 0.85% of their dry weight content. After adding different concentrations of 0.05–2% AX to the WS system, the gel network structure was changed. The starch hydrolysis rate of bread with 2% AX added was the lowest, of which the contents of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch were 40.02% and 36.61%, and resistant starch was as high as 25.31%. The addition of AX to starch-based foods is helpful for controlling postprandial blood sugar and insulin levels. Full article

This research explores the extraction of ferulated arabinoxylans (FAXs) from maize bran and their incorporation into wheat flour to assess their impact on rheological and pasting properties. Flour blends were prepared with FAX concentrations of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%, and these blends were then evaluated using farinograph, mixograph, micro-extensibility, and viscosity analyses. The results indicated that farinograph water absorption increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05), ranging from 54.9% to 60.5%, as the FAX content rose, correlating with higher gel-forming potential. Notably, the 2% FAX treatment (FAX2) exhibited the longest dough development time at 24.7 min. Stability and mixing time index (MTI) values also varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among treatments, with FAX2 displaying a longer mixing time of 14.4 ± 3.3 min. A pasting analysis revealed a significant decrease in peak and hot paste viscosity (p < 0.05) with increasing FAX concentrations, suggesting an association between lower hot paste viscosity and reduced breakdown. Micro-extensibility measures further indicated that blends with 0% and 2% FAX had greater extensibility, while the 4% FAX blend showed higher resistance. Overall, this research aims to advance the understanding of how these components can enhance flour functionality and contribute to the development of healthier, higher-quality baked products. Full article

This study investigated the effects of solid-state fermentation with Clostridium butyricum on the microstructure of wheat bran, the release of dietary fiber and phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity. Compared with unfermented wheat bran, insoluble dietary fiber and phytic acid content decreased, whereas soluble dietary fiber and water-extractable arabinoxylan content increased in C. butyricum culture. Because of the increased release of phenolic compounds, such as ferulic acid and apigenin, and organic acids, such as isobutyric acid, the antioxidant capacity of the culture was considerably improved. Furthermore, the culture of C. butyricum treated with dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis in mice enhanced the expression of intestinal mucus and tight-junction proteins, modulating the gut microbiota structure, increasing the levels of short-chain fatty acids in the intestine, and restoring the essential functions of the gut microbiota. These anti-inflammatory effects stemmed from the combined action of various effective components. Full article

This study examined the impact of xylanases, focusing on the hydrolysis of water-extractable (WE-AX) and water-unextractable arabinoxylans (WU-AX) and on the quality and noodle-making performance of flours with varying gluten strengths. Flours categorized as strong (S), medium (M), and weak (W) were treated with two xylanases (WE and WU) at concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 0.2%. Parameters such as solvent retention capacity (SRC), SDS sedimentation volume, dough mixing properties, and noodle characteristics were measured. The SRC revealed that flour S had the highest water-holding capacity, gluten strength, and arabinoxylan content. Xylanase treatment reduced water SRC values in flour S and increased the SDS sedimentation volume, with a greater effect from xylanase WU, indicating the potential enhancement of gluten strength. The impact of xylanases was pronounced at higher enzyme concentrations, with differences in dough mixing properties, resistance, and extensibility of fresh noodles, producing softer and stretchable noodles. Cooked noodles made from flours treated with xylanase were softer and had decreased firmness and chewiness, especially those made from flours S and M. This study concludes that WE-AX and WU-AX influence noodle texture; therefore, controlling their degradation with xylanases can produce noodles with varied textures, depending on the gluten strength of the flour. Full article

Arabinoxylans (AXs) are non-starch polysaccharides with complex structures naturally occurring in grains (i.e., barley, corn, and others), providing many health benefits, especially as prebiotics. AXs can be classified as water-extractable (WEAX) and water-unextractable (WUAX) based on their solubility, with properties influenced by grain sources and extraction methods. Numerous studies show that AXs exert an important health impact, including glucose and lipid metabolism regulation and immune system enhancement, which is induced by the interactions between AXs and the gut microbiota. Recent research underscores the dependence of AX physiological effects on structure, advocating for a deeper understanding of structure-activity relationships. While systematic studies on WEAX are prevalent, knowledge gaps persist regarding WUAX, despite its higher grain abundance. Thus, this review reports recent data on WUAX structural properties (chemical structure, branching, and MW) in cereals under different treatments. It discusses WUAX applications in baking and the benefits deriving from gut fermentation. Full article

Non-biodegradable plastic materials pose environmental hazards and contribute to pollution. Arabinoxylan (AX) films have been created for applications in food packaging to replace these materials. The water interaction characteristics of biodegradable AX films were assessed following the extraction of AX from dry-milled corn bran (DCB), wet-milled corn bran (WCB), and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS). Films were prepared with laccase and sorbitol before surface modification with lipase–vinyl acetate. Water solubility of the modified DCB films was significantly reduced (p < 0.05); however, the water solubility of modified WCB films decreased insignificantly (p > 0.05) compared to unmodified films. Water vapor permeability of the modified AX films from WCB and DDGS was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), unlike their unmodified counterparts. The biodegradation rates of the modified WCB AX and DDGS films increased after 63 and 99 days, respectively, compared to the unmodified films. The hydrophilic nature of AX polymers from WCB and DDGS enhances the biodegradability of the films. This study found that the modified WCB AX film was more hydrophobic, and the modified DDGS AX film was more biodegradable than the modified DCB AX film. Overall, surface modifications have potential for improving hydrophobicity of biopolymer films. Full article