Structural remodeling and enzyme inhibition of coconut pomace dietary fiber via high-pressure homogenization and...

Although coconut pomace is rich in dietary fiber with hypoglycemic potential, its coarse structure and weak bioactivity limit its applications. Moreover, the pathway connecting microstructural tuning of dietary fibers to their inhibition of digestive enzymes remains unclear. In this study, high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) were applied to enhance the microstructure and enzyme-inhibitory activity of coconut pomace dietary fibers (CPFs). DHPM100 showed the strongest inhibitory effect against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Multiscale analysis revealed the structural-functional relationship underlying CPFs-enzyme interactions. DHPM treatment altered particle size, surface roughness, and monosaccharide composition, disrupted crystallinity, and exposed reactive groups. Spectroscopic analysis indicated that DHPM100 altered enzyme reactive groups, secondary structure, and the microenvironment of tryptophan and tyrosine residues. Microrheology suggested motion restriction via elastic network formation, and AFM showed selective enzyme adsorption. These findings support the application of DHPM-modified CPFs in functional foods targeting glycemic control.