Understanding structure, functionality, and digestibility of faba bean starch for potential industrial uses
Dongxing Li, Tommy Z. Yuan, Jiayi Li, Janitha P.D. Wanasundara, Mehmet Tülbek, Yongfeng Ai
Abstract
Abstract Background and Objectives There is growing interest in fractionating faba bean to produce various food ingredients; however, the technological attributes of the leading co‐product, faba bean starch, are poorly understood. This study examined the structures, functional properties, and in vitro digestibility of starches isolated from five varieties of faba bean cultivated in two different years in comparison with commercial starches. Findings Some distinctive features were identified in the faba bean starches: no breakdown viscosity during pasting, remarkably stronger gelling ability, and greater enzymatic resistance in a raw state. The two growing years did not significantly influence the structures, physicochemical properties, and digestibility of the faba bean starches, except for the pasting profiles of certain cultivars. Conclusions Despite the obvious differences in the sizes, tannin levels, and vicine and convicine levels of their seeds, the faba bean starches generally exhibited technological characteristics similar to those of the pea starch, while being significantly different from those of the maize starch. Significance and Novelty This study presented the unique properties of faba bean starches from five representative cultivars grown in different years, which will be meaningful for industrial utilization of faba bean starch with value addition.