Influence of highland barley β-glucan on textural, structural, and rheological characteristics of corn starch

Non-starch polysaccharides are added to grains as dietary fiber to enhance their processing characteristics. This study investigates the influence of highland barley β-glucan (HBBG) on the gelatinization, texture, rheological, structural, and retrogradation characteristics of corn starch (CS). The pasting analysis revealed that the trough, peak, and final viscosities of the CS gel were markedly decreased after HBBG addition. Rheological analysis indicated reduced viscosity, flow behavior, and elasticity of the gels following HBBG addition. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) displayed a red shift in wavenumber, suggesting increased hydrogen bonding interactions induced by HBBG. HBBG increased water holding in CS and reduced hardness by forming hydrogen bonds with the starch. Specifically, the hardness of CS containing 20 % HBBG decreased from 290.32 g to 66.1 g. X-ray diffraction indicated 7.98 and 8.58 % reductions in CS gels with 20 % HBBG after 24 h and 7 days of retrogradation, respectively. These findings offer valuable insights for the formulation of functional foods designed for elderly individuals.