Effects of Konjac Glucomannan on Retrogradation of Amylose

The effect of konjac glucomannan (KGM) on the retrogradation of amylose was explored during storage. The color, rheological properties, texture, water-holding capacity (WHC), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were investigated. Results of color and rheological measurements showed that with the increasing amount of KGM, the L value of the system decreased, but the elastic modulus, viscous modulus, and tangent value of loss angle increased. The textural result presented that KGM obviously inhibited the growth rate of gel strength of amylose. Results from WHC and XRD suggested after 14 days of storage, when the concentration of KGM increased from zero to 0.3% in the mixture, the WHC grew from 80% to 95% and the crystallinity degree declined from 35.3% to 25.6%. The LF-NMR result revealed that KGM limited the conversion of free water to bound water in the system. In general, a small amount of KGM in a mixed system could inhibit the short-term and long-term retrogradation of amylose. This research could provide a theoretical reference for the influence of hydrophilic colloids on the retrogradation of starch, and it could also provide support for the processing and production of starch-based food.