The multifunctional role of hydrocolloids in modulating retrogradation, starch hydrolysis, and the gut microbiota

Hydrocolloids are hydrophilic long-chain polymers used in food systems for thickening, gelling, and stabilizing. They significantly influence starch retrogradation, hydrolysis, and gut microbiota modulation, with both beneficial and detrimental outcomes. These effects depend on factors such as hydrocolloid type, concentration, interactions with starch, and environmental conditions like temperature and processing methods. Some hydrocolloids inhibit starch retrogradation by disrupting amylose recrystallization, while others promote retrogradation under certain conditions. They can also alter starch hydrolysis by modifying enzyme accessibility to starch granules, either decelerating or accelerating digestion. Moreover, hydrocolloids act as fermentable fibers, supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which may influence metabolic processes. Despite significant progress, the complexity of these interactions remains incompletely understood, as effects vary with individual microbiota compositions. This review explores the mechanisms by which hydrocolloids modulate starch behaviors and gut microbiota, synthesizing current literature and identifying future research directions to address existing knowledge gaps.