The impact of cyclodextrins on the in vitro digestion of native and gelatinised starch and starch present in a sugar-snap cookie
Leonardo I. Mulargia, Elien Lemmens, Stijn Reyniers, Konstantinos Korompokis, Kurt Gebruers, Frederick J. Warren, Jan A. Delcour
Abstract
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides composed of α-d-glucose units linked by α-(1,4)-glucosidic bonds. α-CD, β-CD and γ-CD contain 6, 7 or 8 d-glucose units, respectively. CDs can bind to the active site of pancreatic α-amylase and competitively inhibit the enzyme. Adding 0.100 mg CD/mg native wheat starch substantially reduces the in vitro activity of the enzyme. β-CD is a more potent inhibitor than α-CD and γ-CD. Adding 0.025, 0.050 or 0.100 mg β-CD/mg starch on a dry matter basis to native wheat starch and to a sugar-snap cookie recipe causes dose dependent inhibition. However, starch gelatinisation or the presence of damaged starch limits the extent of α-amylase inhibition by β-CD. Indeed, when adding 0.100 mg β-CD/mg starch on a dry matter basis to gelatinised maize starch, no changes in enzyme activity were detected. The present results and earlier findings suggest that α-CD and β-CD reduce post-prandial glycaemia when consumed together with gelatinised starch. CDs could reduce post-prandial glycaemia even more efficiently when present in foods containing substantial levels of intact native starch. This may benefit blood glucose homeostasis in humans.