Mechanisms of the different effects of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and a glucose–fructose mixture on wheat starch gelatinization, pasting, and retrogradation

The gelatinization, pasting, and retrogradation of starch influence texture, quality, and shelf-life attributes of many foods. The purpose of this work was to document the effects of a 50:50 glucose:fructose (glc:fru) mixture and sucrose solutions on these starch traits to provide a fundamental basis to explain the different texture and shelf-life attributes of baked goods formulated with these sugars. Differential scanning calorimetry, rapid visco analyzer, and oscillatory rheometry were used to quantify the effects of glucose, fructose, glc:fru mixture, and sucrose at different concentrations (0% to 60% w/w), on the gelatinization temperature, pasting, and retrogradation properties of wheat starch. Distinct differences were found between the effects of sucrose and those of the monosaccharides including the glc:fru mixture. Sucrose elevated Tgel and pasting temperature most and decreased other RVA parameters compared to the monosaccharides as concentration increased. Fructose and the glc:fru mixture promoted amylopectin retrogradation, while retrogradation was inhibited in sucrose and glucose solutions. The glc:fru mixture had similar effects on starch properties compared to fructose under static measurement conditions (DSC), and the effects were in between those of glucose and fructose under dynamic conditions when shear was applied (RVA and rheology). These effects are explained by the phase separation and/or solute partitioning of the monosaccharide constituents of the glc:fru mixture. Sugar solution physicochemical properties correlated strongly with starch gelatinization and retrogradation. The results substantiate the important relationship between sugar physicochemical properties and solution dynamics with starch thermal properties, which in turn affect the texture and structure of starch-containing food products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The quality attributes of starch-containing baked goods are influenced by how different amounts and types of sugars affect starch cooking properties. The underlying mechanisms of the different sugar effects involve solution viscosity, intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and phase separation. Substituting one sugar for another has less effect on these starch properties in products with lower sugar concentrations than in products with more sugar. Mixtures of sugars behave differently than single sugars in different conditions due to phase separation. Baked goods made with glucose:fructose mixtures in place of sucrose likely have higher amounts of gelatinized starch and increased firmness (i.e., staling or retrogradation) over time.