Inhibition of Short-Term Retrogradation in Sweet Potato Starch by Tea Polyphenols: Primary Application in Tea...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Material Science

Background:

• Starch retrogradation significantly impacts the quality of starch-based foods.
• Modulating retrogradation is key to enhancing gel quality.
• The anti-retrogradation effects of tea polyphenols (TPs) on sweet potato starch (SPS) were previously uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the short-term anti-retrogradation effects of tea polyphenols (TPs) on sweet potato starch (SPS) within 24 hours.
• To evaluate the efficacy of tea powder (TP) in inhibiting SPS retrogradation due to its lower cost.
• To assess the impact of TPs and TP on the texture and structural properties of SPS gels.

Main Methods:

• Texture analysis
• X-ray diffraction (XRD)
• Dynamic modulus measurements
• Setback value determination

Main Results:

• SPS gels showed increased elasticity with longer retrogradation times.
• TPs reduced gel hardness (from 139.47 to 89.68 g) and relative crystallinity (from 19.58% to 16.07%) after 24h.
• Increasing tea powder (TP) concentration decreased the setback value of SPS from 594.33 to 249.33 mPa·s.
• TP addition softened liangfen texture (reduced hardness and chewiness) and increased viscosity and moduli at high concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Both tea polyphenols (TPs) and tea powder (TP) demonstrate significant anti-retrogradation properties for sweet potato starch (SPS).
• These compounds can delay the hardening of starch-based foods, improving their quality and sensory attributes.
• The findings support the practical application of TPs and TP in developing high-quality, functional starch-based foods.