Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) extract promotes the digestion properties of corn starch by changing their properties and...

Wasabi extract (WE) was commonly utilized as food excipient in Asian countries, it was believed to possess a pro-digestive impact on starch. The impacts of WE on digestive characteristics of corn starch were assessed through gel characteristics, rheological behavior, and in vitro digestion. WE enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis of gels, simultaneously decreasing SDS and RS. The steric hindrance provided by WE impeded entanglement of starch molecules and the development of stable architecture. WE reduced viscosity, and decreased its hardness from 180.17 g to 146.80 g; lower hardness rendered the gels more susceptible to enzyme erosion. XRD and FT-IR analyses corroborated WE promoted the formation of double-helix and short-range ordered structures, but it prevented the cross-links between starch molecules, thereby the network structure was weakened. The microstructural diagram indicated that inhibition of short-term retrogradation was attributed to water competition between WE and starch. The research work was valuable for comprehending the utilization of WE and facilitating the advancement of specialized dietary products for starch digestion.