Journal of Cereal Science最新文献

The objective of this work was to produce a gluten-containing food matrix (pasta) rich in dietary fiber (DF), polyphenols, and antioxidant activity, through partial substitution with a dry flour from decocted Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyces. The food matrix was made by mixing semolina (75%) and decocted calyces flour (25%) (S75–HF25), and its proximate composition, polyphenols content, antioxidant capacity, and starch hydrolysis rate were evaluated. The dietary fiber (DF) content (18.7 g/100g, dry basis, db) in the S75–HF25 pasta was markedly higher than in semolina control pasta (5.0 g/100g, db). Cooking the S75–HF25 pasta decreased the extractable polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity measured with DPPH, while enhancing the ABTS + antioxidant value. The cooked pasta showed an “as eaten” DF content of 34.7 g/100g, which was higher than in semolina pasta (6.7 g/100g). The starch hydrolysis rate of the composite pasta was reduced compared to the semolina pasta. The resistant starch content in the composite pasta was around 60% higher than the semolina pasta. The high DF content in the decocted calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. helps to retain the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in the cooked pasta food matrix.

Expression level of the gene Wheat Breadmaking (TaWBM) has been shown to be correlated with bread quality, and influences the rising of the bread loaf. We found that a family of the wbm homologous genes are present not only in wheat, but also in oat, rye and barley. However, a WBM protein has never been demonstrated experimentally. We have identified the existence of a family of WBM-like Seed Proteins (WSPN) from the prolamin fraction of barley flour, encoded by three closely linked genes on the long arm of chromosome 7H, analysing the gene expression by qPCR and relative protein levels by mass spectroscopy. All three genes are expressed specifically in seeds with no detectable expression in the leaves. The barley WSPNs share a common gene structure with a single exon containing an open reading frame in the size 253–313 bp, with the first 80 bp predicted by TargetP 2.0 to encode a sorting peptide. Furthermore, they all contain the conserved motif C–P-X-G-X4-C-X(4–8)-C-X-C. Structure prediction with Alphafold 2.0 suggest that this motif is a structurally conserved microdomain consisting of two antiparallel strands where the cysteines align.

The incorporation of polysaccharides can effectively lower the glycemic index (GI) of rice noodles but may also negatively impact their cooking and eating quality. This study explores the use of solid-state fermentation with Limosilactobacillus fermentum and the addition of lysine to enhance the cooking and eating quality of high-fiber rice noodles (HFRN). Optimal fermentation conditions—10% Limosilactobacillus fermentum inoculum, 30 °C fermentation temperature, and 72-h fermentation time—along with a 3% lysine addition, were identified. The results revealed a significant increase in cooking quality and sensory characteristics of the rice noodles under these conditions. Compared to the control, the treated rice noodles exhibited higher sensory scores (increased by 17%), lower broken strip rates (reduced by 77.99%), and superior textural properties. Further analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), rapid viscometer analyzer (RVA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated that fermentation and lysine addition inhibited starch granule swelling, leading to decreased pasting properties (viscosity drop of 22.77–29.94% in all stages). Additionally, the retrogradation rates were reduced, and thermal stability was markedly increased (ΔH increased by 190.90%). These findings suggest that solid-state fermentation combined with lysine supplementation offers a promising strategy for enhancing the cooking and eating quality of HFRN.

Wheat (Triticum spp.) has been one of the most important cereal crops, serving as a source of protein and energy in the human diet. It remains a vital component of global food security, with extensive scientific literature dedicated to its study, although the large volume of literature often hinders global analysis. In this study, different unsupervised machine learning techniques, such as K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), text mining analyses, including word embeddings and statistical word analysis, and graph analysis methodologies, were applied to gain a deeper understanding of the wheat literature. The proposed bibliometric analysis was conducted and integrated with the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) to identify major wheat research trends in the PubMed literature. This analysis examined the evolution of these trends over time, evaluated the geographical distribution, impact, and research domains, and assessed author collaboration networks and the evolving relevance of different countries. Research on disease resistance, genetic modification, and dietary impact demonstrates a consistent increase in output, while interest in topics related to overcoming salt stress and enhancing animal feed appears to be diminishing. Interestingly, research on wheat germ agglutinin saw a surge in interest during the late 2000s, stabilizing thereafter. These trends underscore the dynamic nature of wheat research, driven by evolving priorities and technological advancements, particularly in genetics and omics tools. Moreover, the increasing significance of China in wheat research, including its size, impact, and networking, alongside longstanding leaders such as the United States, signals a shifting landscape in global wheat research.

High yield and quality are crucial goals of wheat production. In this study, Ning7840 (high protein content) and Clark (low protein content) as parents to develop recombinant inbred lines (RILs), and used to investigate the differential responses to different nitrogen (N) levels (0, 150, and 300 kg N ha⁻¹). The results showed that the RILs exhibited transgressive segregation in yield and grain quality traits. A comprehensive index of grain quality response to N (quality response index, QRI) was computed by entropy weight-fuzzy membership function method, two types of high yield and quality genotypes were screened based on yield and QRI: quality-sensitive wheat lines in response to N (SWLs) characterized by high yield and high QRI, and quality-tolerant wheat lines in response to N (TWLs) with high yield and low QRI. SWLs were particularly adept at combining high yield with quality enhancement under N application. Partial least square - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis identified leaf dry matter accumulation at anthesis, and N recovery efficiency were main factors affecting wheat grain quality improvement. Overall, screening high-yield and high-quality genotypes with the entropy weight - fuzzy membership function method is a useful strategy. These results provide a theoretical basis for breeders to select high yield and quality wheat.

Numerous studies have aimed to dissect the genetic basis of wheat end-use quality, yet the consideration of gluten aggregation properties in this context has been limited despite its important role in determining the processing quality. This study has addressed the evaluation of the end-use quality of a collection of 189 Spanish bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces. For phenotyping, we utilized the GlutoPeak methodology to assess gluten aggregation traits, the SDS-sedimentation test to measure gluten strength and NIR for grain protein content. In addition to previous genotyping data with numerous DArT-seq markers distributed across the entire wheat genome, we developed ten KASP-based molecular markers designed for GLU-1 loci, which encode high molecular weight glutenins (HMW-GS). The reliability of these markers was thoroughly assessed. Our genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) focused on gluten properties and protein content, revealed 89 marker-trait-associated loci (MTAs). These loci were further grouped into 50 MTA-QTLs across various chromosomes based on linkage disequilibrium. While some MTA-QTLs overlapped with regions identified in other studies, others represented novel genomic regions. Inside these regions, we identified several candidate genes with gluten quality-related annotated functions or grain-specific expression patterns, which represent potential targets for marker development and future wheat end-use quality improvement.

To improve highland barley noodles (HBNs) quality, the highland barley flour (HBF) was pre-fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum in this study. The changes in the quality of HBNs, the hydration properties and microstructure of the dietary fiber (DF), and the conformation and cross-linking of the protein in HBNs were measured. With the extension of pre-fermentation time (0–4 h), the overall acceptance of HBNs increased from 7.83 to 8.27, along with a 5.9% reduction in hardness and a 4.5% increase in springiness of HBNs. Meanwhile, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that the physical structure of the DF gradually disintegrated, which caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in its water retention capacity. In addition, spectral analysis showed a continual increase (from 19.62% to 30.15%) in β-turn content of the protein. The content of the free sulfhydryl group and sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) decreased by 18.1% and 4.12%, respectively. However, with the further extension of pre-fermentation time (6–8 h), the degradation in HBNs sensory quality occurred, accompanied by a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in pH (5.95–5.01). These findings suggested that a moderate duration (4 h) of HBF pre-fermentation could effectively improve the quality of HBNs.

The anthocyanin-enriched wheat varieties were explored for their health benefits and development of antioxidant-rich biscuits. In the present study, around 35 advanced lines, showcasing different colors (7 white, 9 purple, 11 black, 8 blue), and robust yield potential under local climatic conditions were selected. The wheat lines were screened for yield, grain hardness, protein, dough quality, biscuit baking and sensory quality attributes. The two advanced black wheat lines (black-1 and black-6) showed low grain hardness indices (49.8 and 32.4) and protein content (9.1 and 8.2%). The dough obtained from these wheat lines exhibited excellent parameters including low hardness and high springiness. The black-1 (soft texture) and black-6 (very soft texture) lines exhibited superior biscuit-making quality with a high spread ratio (13.2 and 14), mirroring the positive controls {white-6 (vs)-15}, and surpassing the average (8.9) and negative controls {white-C3 (7.7) and white-C4 (8.4)}. Despite a reduction in anthocyanin content during baking, both lines demonstrated a 1.3-fold higher antioxidant activity compared to the control. These black wheat lines present significant potential for commercialization, offering an avenue to enhance the quality and nutritional profile of biscuits in the food industry.

This study involved the preparation and characterization of oleogels from rice bran oil with different waxes and the potential application in improving the texture and flavor in rice cooking. The findings revealed a substantial improvement in rice texture with the addition of oleogel, particularly noteworthy at a 3% (w/w) incorporation of RBW (Rice Bran Wax). Under this condition, the hardness reached 15.75N, and stickiness measured 2.16N. The incorporation of 1–3% (w/w) oleogel significantly enhances the color vibrancy of rice during the cooking process, resulting in an increase in the L* value of the rice from 73.86 to 73.95-76.74. Sensory evaluation revealed higher scores for BW (Bee Wax) and RBW at 40.68 and 40.23 points, respectively. Microscopic structural analysis indicated that the incorporation of RBW oleogel led to rice samples with the smallest pores, contributing to a more refined internal pore structure in the grains. In the control rice, 7 aldehyde compounds were detected with a relative content of 43.44%. The addition of oleogel increased the number of aldehyde compounds to 9, with a relative content of 48.06%. This study expands the potential applications of oleogels in rice cooking, enriching flavor profiles and presenting opportunities for integration into the food industry.

Given the beneficial role of biological acidification in improving the quality of cereal-based products, this study evaluated the applicability of Jiaozi as a starter for whole wheat dough fermentation and steamed bread quality improvement. During the first 12 h of dough fermentation, yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) populations increased significantly, resulting in rapid carbohydrate consumption and acidification of the dough. The lactic/acetic acid molar ratio was approximately 3.3, which was within the recommended fermentation quotient (FQ). Compared with the unfermented dough and the dough fermented for 12 h, the dough fermented for 6 h had an improved protein network structure, and the steamed bread made from it also showed the best quality. At a low leavening temperature of 28 °C, satisfactory specific volume and height/diameter ratio were obtained. The dough with an inoculation amount of 50% of the fully fermented dough showed the highest CO₂ production capacity. Compared with yeast, the whole wheat steamed bread produced by Jiaozi using the two-stage fermentation process showed higher specific volume, resistant starch (RS) content and protein digestibility. The results showed that the use of Jiaozi as a starter has great potential for application in improving the quality of whole wheat steamed bread.