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Konjac Polysaccharides Affect the Quality, Cell Structure, and Moisture Balance of Baked Bread

¹College of Sports Engineering and Information Technology, Wuhan Sports University, Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Exercise and Health Promotion, Wuhan, 430079, China. ²Glyn O. Philips Hydrocolloid Research Center at HUT, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China. ³Physical Education Department, Education School of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China. ⁴School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. ⁵Corresponding author. Phone: +86 027 88021796. Fax: +86 027 88021796. E-mail: jiangft@mail.hbut.edu.cn

The effect of addition of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and its derivative konjac superabsorbent polymer (KSAP) on fresh bread quality and its influence on bread staling were investigated. Both KGM and KSAP decreased the hardening rate of the bread crumb and retarded amylopectin retrogradation. Loaf quality of the KGM bread and KSAP bread were therefore improved, because collapse of gas cells during bread processing was prevented. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the presence of KGM and KSAP increased compartmentalized water and slowed release of the compartmentalized water. Deconvolution of TGA showed an alteration of the distribution of free and bound water and its interaction with starch and gluten. Additionally, by monitoring water-binding strength and changes during storage by a_w measurements, it was found that water release from konjac polysaccharide-enriched bread was extended over time compared with the release from control bread. The presence of KGM and KSAP significantly reduced the staling rate of bread.