Doctoral Thesis
Investigating Lecithin’s Influence on Complex Formation Between Starch and Guest Molecules in Aqueous Environments
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Murdoch University
2024
Abstract
Starch is known to form single helical complexes with a broad spectrum of small guest molecules. These complexes have demonstrated substantial potential as sources of resistant starch in functional foods. This thesis primarily focused on optimizing the complexation process between starch and guest molecules in an aqueous environment. This process is applicable to use in the processing of many starch-based foods.
Notably, we discovered that incorporating lecithin, a common food ingredient, into the complexation system of pea starch and fatty acid produced a distinct viscosity peak during the cooling stage of Rapid Visco Analysis. This observation prompted further investigation into lecithin's potential role in complexation. This PhD research explored various complexation systems involving different starches, guest molecules, and lecithin to elucidate the effects of lecithin on starch complex formation. The initial study compared the structural, thermal, and digestibility properties of pea starch-saturated fatty acid complexes formed with and without lecithin in aqueous environments. The results confirmed that lecithin can enhance the complexation. The second study further examined how lecithin influences the complexation between fatty acids and starch with varying amylose/amylopectin ratios and botanical sources. Results indicated that lecithin specifically enhanced the complexation of amylose, and that the starch source could potentially affect this characteristic. The third study explored if lecithin could enhance complexation between starch and long-chain alcohols, indicating lecithin's effects could be applicable to a wider range of hydrophobic guests. There is also an additional research chapter that reported the importance of starch concentrations in water in the complexation process.
This thesis is the first to report that lecithin facilitates the formation of starch-guest complexes, demonstrating its potential applicability across various amylose-containing starches and hydrophobic guest molecules. These findings provide a process to enhance complexation and therefore resistant starch content in functional foods and improve the production of starch-based microcapsules in aqueous environments.
Details
- Title
- Investigating Lecithin’s Influence on Complex Formation Between Starch and Guest Molecules in Aqueous Environments
- Authors/Creators
- Xiaoyang He
- Contributors
- Vicky Ann Solah (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic SciencesQingjie Sun (Supervisor) - Qingdao Agricultural UniversityNima Gunness (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic SciencesWendy Hunt (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Identifiers
- 991005732478507891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences; College of Environmental and Life Sciences
- Resource Type
- Doctoral Thesis
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