Effects of different cooking technologies on biopolymers modifications of cereal-based foods: Impact on nutritional...

Biopolymers are molecules that are present in nature and they are chain-like molecules made up of repeating chemical block. The main components of raw materials used to produce cereal food are represented by biopolymers like starch, proteins, fiber and lipids. The production of cereal food can be carried out by conventional cooking methods, as baking carried out by hot air oven and extrusion-cooking, or innovative technologies that uses radiofrequency, infrared, microwaves heating and vacuum baking. The modifications of biopolymers that occurring during processing of cereal food are focused above all on extrusion-cooking technology and conventional baking, instead the effects of innovative cooking methods on changes and interactions of biopolymers of cereal food are very scanty. This review is aimed to deal in depth and to compare the recent researches, about the modifications and interaction of biopolymers of cereal food that occurring during conventional and innovative cooking methods in order to address the scientific research devoted to this field toward many aspects that are still unknowns.