Changes in Textural Properties of Low-Moisture Foods and Its Mechanism

Research Project

Project/Area Number	13680170
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	食生活
Research Institution	Kanto Gakuin University (2002) Kanto Gakuin Women's Junior College (2001)
Principal Investigator	WADA Yoshiko Kanto Gakuin University, Department of Health and Nutrition, Professor, 人間環境学部, 教授 (90123207)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	HIGO Atsuko Toita Women's Junior College Department of Food and Nutrition, Associate Professor, 食物栄養科, 助教授 (20320781)
Project Period (FY)	2001 – 2002
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2002)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000) Fiscal Year 2002: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000) Fiscal Year 2001: ¥2,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000)
Keywords	moisture absorption / commercial confectionary / modified starch / breaking property / absorbed moisture content / starch gelatinization
Research Abstract	The effects of absorbed moisture on texture properties and its mechanism were studied with twenty-seven kinds of commercial confections made from different starch ingredients (i.e., wheat, corn, potato and rice) and natural fried chips made of potato, fruits and vegetables. After the confectionary goods were left standing at ten levels of relative humidity (R.H. 7.6 - 97 %), the change of breaking force and breaking energy were small when the moisture was below R.H.32%, and the textural characteristics of test samples were found at around R.H. 68 - 88% to be classified two groups. One group (i.e., cookie, biscuit etc.) became softer, and the other (i.e., senbei) consisting of gelatinized starch became harder. A high positive correlation was obtained between the breaking properties of samples and their gelatinization. Also the results of baked wheat flour products with of modified starches (promotion type and suppressiontype of starch gelatinization) and were obtained similar as the confections. It was suggested that starch-gel formation and water condition were the important factors to strengthen the sample tissue with low moisture absorption.