Influence of Thermal Processing on In Vitro Starch Digestibility in Cereal-Based Infant Foods

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Early-life nutrition significantly impacts infant development.
• Starch properties and digestibility are key factors in infant food formulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of thermal and high-humidity treatments on infant cereal purees.
• To analyze changes in starch properties and digestibility of wheat, rice, and maize purees.
• To evaluate the potential of thermal processing for optimizing infant nutrition.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of infant purees from whole grains (WGs), whole grain flours (WGFs), and flour suspensions (FSs).
• Application of thermal treatment (30 min, 121 °C) and high humidity.
• Analysis of microstructure, thermal properties, viscosity, and in vitro starch digestibility.

Main Results:

• Thermal treatment reduced peak viscosity and amyloplast birefringence in all puree types.
• Flour suspensions (FSs) exhibited reduced thermal stability and a 30% decrease in phytic acid.
• Starch digestibility varied: WG purees showed reduced total hydrolyzed starch (THS) in wheat and maize, while WGF and FS purees demonstrated significant increases in THS.

Conclusions:

• Thermal processing significantly modulates starch digestibility and viscosity in infant cereal purees.
• The effects are cereal-specific, with variations observed between wheat, rice, and maize.
• Thermal treatment presents a viable strategy for tailoring starch digestibility and optimizing infant nutrition.