Food

  2010 JAN 28 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to recent research published in the Journal of Cereal Science, "The present work aims to investigate the dynamic rheology at small strains and the equibiaxial extensional deformation at large strain of the glycerol plasticized dough of gluten- and glutenin-rich fractions and their mixture as well as the uniaxial tension deformation behavior of the compression molded bioplastics. ...read more

  2010 JAN 28 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to recent research from Louvain, Belgium, "Despite much research, bread crumb firming during storage and amylase anti-staling properties are still ill understood. We present a coherent view on the topic based on literature, experimental data, and food polymer science-related concepts."

  "During bread storage, the gelatinised starch (amylopectin) network, present in soft, fresh bread, is gradually transformed into an extensive, partially crystalline, permanent amylopectin network, with amylopectin crystallites acting as junction zones. This network increasingly accounts for the bulk theological behaviour of aging bread crumb. Furthermore, as amylopectin retrogradation proceeds, moisture migration within the crumb structure occurs, and more and more water is immobilised within amylopectin crystallites. The crystalline hydrate water can no longer plasticise the different networks, which goes hand in hand with increased crumb firmness and decreased crumb resilience, due to a less flexible gluten network. The efficiency of anti-staling amylases can be related to the extent they limit the formation and the strength of the permanent amylopectin network, and the water immobilisation. Conventional alpha-amylases weaken the amylopectin network by cutting the long polymer chains connecting the crystalline regions, but have little effect on amylopectin recrystallisation," wrote H. Goesaert and colleagues ...read more

  2010 JAN 28 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "More than one-third of the world's population is afflicted by iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies, since cereal grain as a staple food of the people contains low levels or low bioavailability of Fe and Zn because of phytate. In maize, 80% of grain phosphorus (P) is in the form of phytate, and P could be an indicator of phytate content," researchers in Osijek, Croatia report.

  "The objectives of this study were (I) to estimate genetic variation of Fe and Zn in a maize population including P/Fe and P/Zn molar ratios as quantitative traits; (2) to determine relations among yield, P, Fe, Zn, P/Fe and P/Zn molar ratios; and (3) to define the implications of those on biofortification (breeding) programmes. There were significant genetic variations and workable heritabilities for Fe, Zn, P/Fe and P/Zn estimated in 294 F4 lines of a maize population, but there were no associations among six traits according to both simple correlations and principal component analysis. Weak correlations between P and Fe and between P and Zn indicated feasibility of breeding non low-phytic acid maize genotypes with more appropriate phytate/Fe and phytate/Zn relations," wrote D. Simic and colleagues ...read more