Microwave power-induced modulation of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) starch: Insights into structural and
Jing-Wen Qin1,2, Bing-Bing Du1,2, Wan-Tong Zhao1,2
1College of Food Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Abstract:
This study investigated the individual effects of microwave power (300-500 W) and treatment duration (120-210 s) on the structure and functional properties of tigernut starch. Microwave treatment induced granular surface damage, and reduced starch relative crystallinity (from 30.72% to 29.72%) and short-range molecular order (R1047/1022 ratio, from 0.98 to 0.96) after treated at 500 W for 150 s (MP-500). These structural disruption increased apparent amylose content (from 24.13% to 26.42%), while decreasing swelling power (from 15.90 g/g to 12.28 g/g), and peak viscosity (from 4996 cP to 3817.5 cP). Higher microwave power (500 W for 150 s) and longer exposure duration (400 W for 210 s) decreased gelatinization enthalpy but elevated gelatinization temperatures. Principal component analysis confirmed microwave power as the primary factor. This work demonstrates that microwave treatment effectively tailors tigernut starch properties, providing a theoretical basis for its application as a food texture modifier.
