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Modifications in peroxidase activity, nutritional quality, techno-functional properties and microstructure of popcorn
María Cristina Aspiroz1, Juan José Burbano2, María Jimena Correa2
1Laboratorio de Investigación y Servicios en Calidad Alimentaria, Inocuidad y Valor Agregado (CAIVA), Centro Regional de Estudios Sistémicos de Cadenas Agroalimentarias - Facultad de Agronomía - Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNICEN), Av. República de Italia 780, C.P B7300 Azul, Argentina.
None:
Popcorn flours (PCF) were obtained from whole kernels that were dry heat treated at different time-temperature conditions or steamed in order to inactivate lipase and increase stability during storage. Lipase inactivation was assessed through peroxidase enzyme activity and two treatments were selected: dry heating at 130 °C for 1 h (PCF-D) and steaming during 4 min (PCF-S). Control flour was obtained from non-treated kernels (PCF-C). Flours were characterized by their compositional, physicochemical microscopical and thermal properties. Oxidative stability indices (OSI) were obtained at different temperatures to estimate shelf life at 20 °C. The treatments did not substantially modify the nutritional profile. PCF-D exhibited higher oxidative stability than PCF-S across the 110-130 °C range. Furthermore, PCF-D presented an estimated shelf life of 11 months, compared to 5 months for PCF-S. Conversely, PCF-S underwent more pronounced color and microstructural alterations-including a lower yellow index and enlarged granules- alongside lower gelatinization enthalpy.
