Effect of inulin with different degree of polymerisation on textural and rheological properties of wheat starch – Effect of inulin on gel properties of starch

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of inulin with different degree of polymerisation on textural and rheological properties of wheat starch gel by a texture analyser and rheometers. As expected, the hardness of gel increased with the addition of three kinds of inulin, but the gumminess and adhesiveness decreased. For the rheological properties, we found short‐chain inulin reduced the consistency coefficient and increase the fluidity of gel, natural inulin could increase the consistency coefficient of gel and had no significant effect on the flow characteristic index. Short‐ and long‐chain inulin could maintain the stability of gel during storage at 5 °C, and natural inulin significantly enhanced the fluidity and decreased the stability. In general, three kinds of inulin all had an influence on the texture parameters of wheat starch gel, short‐ and long‐chain inulin improved the dynamic stability.