Harnessing the power of resistant starch: health impact and processing challenges

Did you know that heating rice or pasta in the microwave increases the level of resistant starch? Do you know about the health benefit of starchs?
Exploiter le pouvoir de l’amidon résistant : impact sur la santé et défis de la transformation

The Discovery & Front-End Innovation and Baking Science & Nutrition teams at the Lesaffre Institute of Science & Technology (LIST), in collaboration with the Transformations & Agroressources team at the Université Unilassale de Beauvais, France, have just published an exhaustive review(1) in the international peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Nutrition. The review illustrates how food processes influence the resistant starch content of foods and takes an in-depth look at the clinical evidence for its impact on health. 

Based on a detailed analysis of the scientific literature over the last 20 years, the authors present a review of what is known about the relationship between resistant starch and health.  

“Resistant starches are mainly characterised by low digestibility, which can help to reduce the body’s glycaemic response. Increasing their content in foods represents an opportunity to boost health benefits. A better understanding of the influence of food processes on the formation of resistant starches could contribute to the development of food products, such as bread, with additional health benefits“, explains Michaël Durand-Dubief, researcher at Discovery Front-End Innovation, Lesaffre.

 

(1) Harnessing The Power of Resistant Starch: A Narrative Review of its Health Impact and Processing Challenges by Nathália Baptista, LIST Baking Science & Nutrition Scientist, Robin Dessalles, Scientific consultant, Anne-Kathrin Illner, Dr. Anne-Katrin Illnern, Human Nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor, human nutrition, prevention and population health science, UniLaSalle Beauvais, Patrice Ville, Lseaffre regulatory affairs Director, Léa Ribet, LIST Baking Science & Nutrition scientist, Dr. Pauline M Anton, Research lecturer in digestive health – nutrition and health safety at UniLaSalle,  Beauvais, Mickaël Durand-Dubief, LIST researcher at Discovery Front-End Innovation.