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This manuscript covers two aspects of the subject area described in the title. In order to improve the understanding and control of sucrose solubility in molasses it is believed that it is necessary to firstly gather experimentally detailed and consistent solubility and composition data. Secondly, the mathematical description of sucrose solubilities in molasses should be reconsidered. In the contribution data on 49 different molasses are described. The data show significant variation in both the sucrose solubility and the composition of the nonsucrose components. Current models to describe the solubility are discussed in light of thermodynamical considerations and their success in representing the data gathered.

The comparatively high amylose (AM) content in native pea starch leads to a good functionality in food and non‐food products. Nevertheless, it has also been reported that pea starch tends to cause manufacturing problems more often than other starches. It has been suggested that this is due to substantial variation of the starch qualities originating from different pea starch varieties. Therefore, additional research which explores morphological, physicochemical, molecular, and techno‐/functional properties of starches from multiple pea varieties is necessary. Here, a large variety of pea starches are analyzed. The structure and size of the starch granules is studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser particle sizing (LPS), and image analysis of optical microscopy (IAOM). The morphological appearance and size do not differ significantly between the pea cultivars. The AM content is determined with two methods, both based on iodine interaction with the AM helix. The method suggested here (SEC‐prep) results in systematically higher AM content. This is due to better solubilization of the starch. Nevertheless, only small differences between the pea cultivars are observed. No differences in morphological appearance, particle size, and only minor differences in AM content, significant variations in the molar mass distribution of the total starch fraction (MwST) and of the AM fraction (MwAM) are found.

The use of high amounts of saturated fatty acids mainly obtained from tropical fats and oils gains increasing rejection from consumers. Use of liquid plant based oils, however, does not deliver necessary functionalities. In this contribution, sunflower-(SFW), bees-wax (BW), ricebran wax (RBW) and a BW–wax mixture (BW : SFWh) were investigated as a potential alternative fat phase in low-density bakery products. Since the food product matrix is composed of complex ingredients, key-functionalities (foam-stabilization, viscoelastic properties, and oil-binding) were first investigated for pure oleogels as oleofoams. It could be demonstrated that all waxes investigated were able to form oleofoams. The location of wax crystal aggregates, at the oil–air interface or in the bulk, was shown to be a significant factor regarding oil-binding and viscoelastic properties. However, it was not possible to transfer all findings made for the oleofoams to the ones made for the oleogel based sponge cakes. There, all oleogels showed improvement compared to the canola oil variant regarding oil-leaping and visual appearance (volume). Sensory evaluation attested satisfactory results for all wax-based oleogel applications. This contribution aims to deliver novel findings for wax-based oleogels as oleofoams as well as an alternative fat phase in low-density bakery products. The gathered results aim to enable a target-oriented characterization of oleogel applications and hence facilitate future use to deliver beneficial products to the market.

The present study investigates the effect of oil type on the formation, morphology and mechanical properties of phytosterol-based organogels. The formation of organogels can be satisfactorily predicted with a criterion based on Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs), provided that the sterol and sterol ester in these systems assemble as tubules. When structures other than tubules are formed, the predictability of the HSP-based criterion becomes void. In cases where organogelling occurred, the morphology and mechanical properties of the tubular network of the gels and water-in-oil emulsions were investigated. The findings revealed that the structure of the tubular network formed in oils with different compositions, could be grouped based on the dielectric constants of the oils. Curly and bundled tubules which formed networks, were observed in gels prepared with low dielectric constant oils (i.e. decane and limonene). For oils with a moderate dielectric constant (i.e. castor oil and sunflower oil), the tubules became less curly and straighter. Upon increasing the dielectric constant of the oil (eugenol), individual tubules were observed next to the bundled tubules. The results showed that straighter, bundled tubules are associated with firmer gels, whereas less straight (i.e. curly) tubules rendered weaker gels. The tubular network of the water-in-oil emulsions obtained for oils with a low dielectric constant appeared more open with straighter tubules. For oils with relatively high dielectric constant, the water-in-oil emulsions lost most of their tubular structure and only a few tubules could be observed. In the presence of emulsion droplets fewer tubules are formed, resulting in weaker networks.

The impact of the solvent composition on wax oleogels is addressed by (1) increasing polar components (PC) in sunflower and canola oil through thermal treatment and (2) removing minor components from untreated oils by column chromatography. Subsequently, oleogels are produced at 0.05 and 10 °C min−1 using 4% or 10% w/w of either sunflower, rice bran, candelilla, or beeswax. Oleogels firmness, break‐up behavior during amplitude sweeps, and gelation and dissolution are studied using penetration tests, rheology, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Moreover, the crystal morphology of 4% w/w samples, gelled at 10 and 0.05 °C min−1, is studied using bright field microscopy. Distinct effects caused by the presence or absence of PCs on the characteristics mentioned above are observed, depending on the wax type. The formation of highly ordered wax crystal structures is favored in oils without PCs and low cooling rates. Data on gel formation and dissolution reveal a decrease in wax solubility in the absence of PCs. In contrast, the critical gelation concentration (CGC) decreases when PCs are present, independent of their concentration, indicating that PCs aid network formation. Moreover, the break‐up behavior during oscillatory stress is significantly different, leading to more network fragments and higher energy dissipation with increasing strain. Practical applications: It is found that the oil composition, in particular, the fatty acid composition of TAGs and dissolved minor polar oil components, profoundly affect wax oleogel properties. Although not all mechanisms leading to these changes can be unraveled within this study, a fundamental understanding of solvent composition's role on oleogel formation, dissolution, and network properties is vital in the light of product applications. Moreover, trustworthy and comparable oleogel research can only be achieved if the impact of solvent composition is considered in experiments. That way, the capability of oleogels for industrial applications might be maximized. For that, a detailed characterization of oil quality, particularly the fatty acid composition and presence of minor polar components, is required to conduct reliable scientific work in oleogel research.

Two high amylose corn starches (HACS; HYLON V and HYLON VII) are dissolved completely and subjected to specific enzymatic degradation by means of different amylases (AMY). The starches are digested using α‐, β‐, and γ‐AMY (single) as well as in combination with the debranching enzyme pullulanase (PUL; α‐AMY‐PUL and β‐AMY‐PUL), and the products are characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography (SEC)‐techniques including multi angle laser light scattering‐differential refractive index detection (SEC‐MALS‐DRI) and conventional calibration‐differential refractive index detection (SEC‐cal‐DRI). Enzymolysis is resulted in largely maltose (Mal; α‐ and β‐AMY and respective combinations with PUL) or glucose (Glc; γ‐AMY; almost complete digestion) as the major fraction, but also other residual fractions of higher molar mass (MM), i.a. α‐ and β‐limit dextrins (α‐/β‐LDs). The quantity (relative portion) and quality (specific molecular properties) of the reaction products are found to be strongly dependent on both the enzymatic treatment by itself (kind of enzyme/‐combination and associated specificity of action) and the molecular composition of the initial starch (portion and specific molecular properties of the amylose [AM], intermediate [IM], and amylopectin [AP] fraction), which is further investigated in detail.

The relationship between microstructural features and mechanical strength of aqueous starch gels is investigated. The gels are prepared by systematic variation of the factors starch type (high amylose [AM] corn starches [HACS] having about 50 and 70% w/w AM; HACS‐50/‐70), starch concentration (6 and 9% w/w) and storage time (1 and 14 days). The gel matrices are separated by means of a centrifugation method, and two phases are obtained account for the dissolved starch (liquid phase) and the network constituting starch (swollen phase). Subsequently, the latter starch fraction is partially digested using two amylases (AMY) and in combination with pullulanase (PUL) [α‐AMY, α‐AMY‐PUL, β‐AMY, β‐AMY‐PUL], too. The starch samples (dissolved and network constituting) and the degradation products (polysaccharides after partial enzymatic hydrolysis) are characterized molecularly by means of size exclusion chromatography (SEC)‐techniques, and amounts and molecular properties of specific fractions and molecule segments, respectively, are determined. A clear correlation between the specific involvement and contribution of the starch polymers (e.g., absolute amount, state, function) in the gel network and the mechanical gel strength is found. Particularly, the starch's AM content and the polymer concentration of the gel are evident as controlling factors in developing the gel's firmness.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of addition of various types of emulsifiers on the morph/ology and thermal and mechanical and properties of organogels. For the preparation of the organogels, γ-oryzanol and β-sitosterol mixed at 60:40 w/w ratio were dissolved in decane containing various types of emulsifiers, including Span 80, PGPR, and lecithin, and co-solvents (butanol and pentanone). The firmness, morphology, and thermal properties of the organogels were studied. SEM micrographs showed branched and twisted strands of the tubular network within the gels prepared in decane. Addition of emulsifiers and co-solvents increased the polarity of the continuous oil phase and noticeably changed the alignment of the tubules. More linear tubular structures that resemble ribbons with elongated tubules were observed. The firmness of the organogels dropped with addition of emulsifiers and co-solvents, except for Span-80, where the firmness is initially increased up to 10% w/w and then decreased. The firmness of the gels prepared with PGPR, lecithin, pentanone, and butanol decreased linearly on increasing the respective emulsifier or co-solvent concentration between 1% and 20% (w/w). The organogels prepared with Span-80 were stronger than those prepared with PGPR and lecithin. Moreover, the gels prepared with pentanone were stronger than those prepared with butanol. In addition, the gel-solution transition temperature of the organogels decreased with increasing emulsifier and co-solvent concentration. The addition of the emulsifiers seems to interfere with the self-assembly of the tubular structure and disturb the organization of the hydrophobic tail of oryzanol-sitosterol in the continuous decane phase. This prevents the formation of a complex branched tubular network resulting in weaker gels.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of pre-swelling at 55°C for 1 hr followed by freezing-thawing cycles (PFTCs), and freezing-thawing cycles (FTCs) in the starch granules to improve the freeze-thaw stability and evaluate its impact on the molecular, morphological, and functional properties of potato starch (PS). FTCs at 1 cycle and 7 cycles were applied for both treated PS. Microscopical structure, thermal, molecular, and functional properties (i.e., swelling power, solubility, shear viscosity, and gel strength) were comprehensively analyzed. In terms of granule structures, treated PS by FTC showed a slightly affected on the surface of starch granules, while treating PS by PFTC showed an affected in the form of small cracks and holes in the outer surface of starch granules. The gelatinization enthalpy (∆H

The non‐triglyceride structuring of liquid oils, so‐called oleogelation, enables new and more beneficial product designs. Natural waxes have proven to be excellent oleogelators due to their wide availability and low inclusion levels. However, waxes vary greatly in their compositions and contain different proportions of major components: wax esters (WE), fatty acids (FA), fatty alcohols (FaOH), and hydrocarbons (HC). In this study six waxes (bees (BW)‐, sunflower (SFW)‐, ricebran(RBW), carnauba (CRW)‐, candelilla (CLW)‐, and sugarcane wax(SCW)) are selected to develop a pairwise assessment regarding the major components. Commercial canola oil, rich in minor and polar components, and medium‐chain triglycerides (MCT), as a “clean” saturated solvent, are used to elucidate the effect of solvent type on the gel forming behavior of 10% w/w oleogels. The gels are analyzed rheologically, penetronomically, microscopycally, and by calorimetry. It can be shown that the solubility and presence of polar minor components are crucial factors in oleogelation. Practical applications: Useful areas of application can be found in products with high proportions of saturated and trans fatty acids, a high potential of substitution, and can for instance include bakery‐, meat‐, culinary‐ and confectionary products.

This contribution presents an extensive literature survey of the calorimetric properties, namely enthalpy and entropy of fusion, of alkyl‐based molecules. Building on the well‐known linear correlation of the named properties to the carbon number in n‐alkanes, saturated fatty acids (FA), and saturated monoacid triglycerides (TAGs), the calorimetric properties of TAGs are reviewed. No straightforward correlation using a single ordering parameter, i.e., carbon number, can be derived for TAGs. This is not surprising due to the complexity of this particular class of molecules differing in alkyl‐chain distribution over the glycerol backbone and chain saturation. A linear correlation of enthalpy and entropy of fusion is evident for molecule classes for which both properties correlate linearly with the carbon number, e.g., n‐alkanes. Despite the complexity of TAGs, it is possible to establish a linear correlation between enthalpy and entropy of fusion even though no underlying single ordering parameter can be identified. A linear fit reveals discrepancies between saturated and unsaturated molecules but independence of polymorphic forms and chain length differences in mixed‐acid TAGs. Moreover, the slopes of the linear fits for data on n‐alkanes, saturated FA, and saturated mono‐acid TAGs are found to be in the vicinity of the melting temperature of polyethylene.

The effect of dextran’s molecular mass distribution on the sucrose crystal shape was key to this study. Therefore, sucrose crystals were produced by evaporating crystallization experiments using synthetic thick juices in the form of pure sugar syrups containing high (T2000) and low (T40) molecular mass dextran fractions as well as enzymatically decomposed dextran. The combined analysis of molecular mass distributions by size exclusion chromatography and sucrose crystal shapes by static image analysis were used to identify the least harmful reaction products resulting from the enzymatic decomposition of dextran. The combined evaluation of two shape parameters, circularity and width-to-length ratio, has shown that three different shape modifications can be related to the presence of dextran, namely cube-shaped crystals, elongated needle-shaped crystals and agglomerates. In the main, the data indicated that high T2000 contents and generally all T40 dextran contents led to an increased occurrence of agglomerated and occasionally elongated crystals. The latter was especially found for high T2000 dextran contents. In contrast, low T2000 dextran contents predominantly increased the amount of cube-like crystals. The enzymatic decomposition of dextran resulted in a gradual reduction of the molecular mass. It was shown that an insufficient decomposition to broadly distributed low molecular mass dextran fragments, which are realistic to assume for technical cane and beet juices, still dramatically affected the sucrose crystal shape. Once dextran was decomposed to molecules with molecular masses of less than 5 kDa, no dextran-related effects on the sucrose crystal shape were found.

With respect of the partial molecular degradation of the starch polysaccharides, the impact of the acid-thinning process on the specific starch properties of two corn genotypes was investigated. A high amylose corn (HACS) and a waxy corn (WxCS) starch were hydrolyzed using HCl in the laboratory scale slurry process (40% w/w, 30 °C). The acid concentration (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 M) as well as the hydrolysis time (4, 10 and 20 h) were graded systematically (experimental design) and the obtained modified starch genotypes characterized comprehensively. As revealed by scanning electron micoscopy (SEM), the supramolecular structure was preserved in general, and the carbohydrate solubilization was limited to about 2–3 %. Molecularly dispersed solutions were characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography-multi angle laser light scattering-differential refractive index detection (SEC-MALS-DRI). Both acid concentration and hydrolysis time reduced the molar mass (MM) of the starch [HACS: 4.4∙106 (native)…1.2∙106 g∙mol−1 (highest degree of degradation); WxCS: 49.7∙106 (native)…6.4∙106 g∙mol−1 (highest degree of degradation)], the amylose (AM) fraction as well as the amylopectin (AP) branch chain length systematically. Perceptible differences in dependence on starch variety were ascertained and discussed. The molecular properties of the investigated acid-thinned genotypes are selectively controllable with the hydrolysis process. The relationship between modification process, starch’s molecular state, and resulting functional properties was examined in the second part of the study.

Background and objectives The aim of this research was to gain a deeper insight into the effect caused by the addition of sprouted oat to food products. The effect of temperature and duration of the sprouting process was systematically studied by sprouting oat grains between 10 and 30°C for up to 3 days. Findings Overall, it was found that temperatures between 20 and 25°C yield the most dramatic changes in the properties of sprouted oats. Based on the data, a simple system to characterize the sprouting progress by a visual inspection of the lengths of the coleoptile and radicles was developed. This degree of sprouting (DoS) was correlated with further grain properties. Conclusions It was found that an exponential relationship between the DoS and grain properties existed. Furthermore, the observed increase in the reducing sugar content (up to 14.6 g/100 g) with increasing DoS was closely related to the increase in α-amylase activity (up to 25 U/g). Significance and novelty The good predictive power found indicates that the application of the concept degree of sprouting could develop into a reliable characterization method for sprouted grains usable for product development and specification.

The effects of high and low molecular mass dextran (T2000 and T40) on the size and shape of particles precipitated during carbonatation and their correlation with filtration performances were key to this study. Varying contents of T2000 and T40 dextran in sugar solutions corresponding to DS contents of thin juice were investigated. For particle size and shape analysis, static image analysis and laser particle size analysis were used. Both methods, static image analysis and laser diffraction, revealed that the presence of T2000 and T40 dextran leads to a higher amount of large-sized particles at the expense of small-sized particles, indicating pronounced agglomeration. The additional evaluation of shape parameters (circularity, roundness, solidity) obtained from static image analysis indicates that the agglomeration is oriented in the absence and in the presence of lower T40 dextran levels. Besides, non-oriented agglomeration, resulting in more round agglomerates with smoother surfaces, was found for samples loaded with T2000 dextran and high T40 dextran levels. Only the latter samples have shown to negatively affect the filtration performance. Thus, in the presence of T2000 dextran and high T40 dextran levels, the filtration was hampered. This appears to be mainly caused by a tighter packing of more round calcium carbonate agglomerates in the porous structure of the filter cake.

Aqueous gels based on two high amylose corn starch (HACS) genotypes with different amylose (AM) contents (HYLON V [HACS‐50] and HYLON VII [HACS‐70]) are prepared by gradation of the polymer concentration (6 and 9% w/w) and storage duration (1 and 14 days). The supermolecular structure of the wet gels is investigated by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and the dried starch gel material examines crystallographically using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and morphologically using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In particular CLSM reveals that the gel structure shows changes with the storage time. XRD experiments reveal the existence of the B‐type crystalline structure as well as a remarkable portion of the V‐type, and higher crystallinity (Xc) is found after long‐term storage. Observation of the dried gel material's surface facilitates the assumption of a fractal‐based arrangement (structure of retrograded starch) within the starch gel network. The results are discussed closely with obtained data related to the molecular level of the gel matrix involved starch polymers, which are reported in previous publications.

In this paper, the structuring of liquid oils, also known as oleogelation, is systematically investigated for the first time using a quasi-quaternary mixing system approach. Native waxes with different quantities of wax esters (WE), n-alkanes (hydrocarbons (HC)), fatty acids (FA), and fatty alcohols (FaOH) are applied in mixtures with hydrolyzed waxes to systematically change the composition. Hydrolyzed waxes contain high levels of FA and FaOH. The model systems are investigated on microscopic level (brightfield light microscopy (BFM), cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM)) as well as on their macroscopic properties (rheology, gel hardness) and calorimetric behavior (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)). It is found that sunflower wax (SFW)-based gels (12% structurant) become less hard on any admixture. Beeswax (BW)-based gels show significant increases in hardness when 25% and 50% (w/w) hydrolyzate are admixed. This could be related to stepwise crystallization. Further analysis reveals that the dissolution/melting behavior of the wax ester mixtures can be surprisingly well described as ideal solubility of a single pseudocomponent. The approach to unravel the individual contributions of the different species present in waxes is successful and marks a first step to better understand the systematic of wax functionality as oleogelators.

Oleogels or, more precisely, non-triglyceride structured lipid phases have been researched excessively in the last decade. Yet, no comprehensive knowledge base has emerged, allowing technology elevation from the laboratory bench into the industrial food application. That is partly due to insufficient characterization of the structuring systems studied. Examining a single composition decided upon by arbitrary methods does not stimulate progress in the research and technology area. A framework that gives much better guidance to product applications can easily be derived. For example, the incremental structure contribution concept is advocated as a parameter to compare the potency of structuring systems. These can straightforwardly be determined by combining solubility data and structural measurements in the recommended manner. The current method to determine the oil-binding capacity suffers from reproducibility and relevance. A newly developed method is suggested to overcome these shortcomings. The recommended new characterization of oleogels should contribute to a more comprehensive knowledge base necessary for product innovations.

The separation characteristics of two polyethersulfone membranes (molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) specification of 4 kDa and 10 kDa) for the retention of different dextran fractions (T2000, T40, T10) from aqueous solutions were systematically investigated, aiming at implementing them as a preparatory step for dextran analysis in sugar industry practice. Ultrafiltration is used to cause differences in optical rotation due to mechanical separation of dextran from aqueous solutions. The membrane separation performance was evaluated using polarimetry and size exclusion chromatography. It was found that the presence of sucrose leads to dramatically improved separation efficiencies for both membrane settings. Specific cut-off values for the separation of dextran from aqueous sucrose solutions have been determined, 10 kDa and 50 kDa for the membranes with a MWCO specification of 4 kDa and 10 kDa, respectively. The data indicate that the basic membrane setting (MWCO of 4 kDa) enables the complete separation and therefore the analytical quantification of the whole molecular mass spectrum relevant for sugar industry. The combination of both membranes, furthermore, indicates that it is suited for the differentiation between a high and a low molecular mass dextran fraction. The application of this new approach for the determination of dextran with varying molecular masses at various contents in synthetic thin juices as well as in real sugar beet raw juices indicates promising prospects.

The effect of the sprouting temperature on wheat sprouting and on the properties of expanded extrudates produced from sprouted wheat flour was studied. Therefore, wheat was sprouted at five different temperatures and subsequently dried, milled, and the resulting flour was used to produce extrudates using a twin‐screw extruder. In order to understand the sprouting temperature effect, the degree of sprouting (DoS) of the differently sprouted samples and characteristic properties of flour and extrudates were studied and compared. During sprouting of wheat with increasing temperature and time an increase of the α‐amylase activity, the vitamin C and reducing sugar content, and a decrease of the peak viscosity was observed. The greatest effect was found at 20°C. Furthermore, the lowering of the viscosity of the flour suspension results in a reduction of the pressure and temperature in the extruder die. The extrudates of sprouted wheat flour were found to be easier to break, had a lower density, an increased longitudinal expansion index, and an improved cold‐water solubility. A good correlation between the DoS and other properties of flour and extrudates was found, indicating a good predictive power and applicability of the DoS concept for wheat samples and their product development and specification.

This study was conducted to examine if the new temperature modulated optical refractometry (TMOR) method is applicable to study the phase behavior of alkyl-based components. n-Hexadecane, palmitic acid, and glycerol tripalmitate were used as model components. TMOR was benchmarked against differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). For all substances, a good agreement of the DSC data with TMOR was found. For n-hexadecane, a difference of 2.2 °C for the crystallization and 2.6 °C for the melting temperature was found. Considering palmitic acid, the crystallization temperature differed by 3.3 °C while the melting varied by 2.8 °C. The crystallization temperature of tripalmitate identified by TMOR was 2.7 °C higher, and the melting temperature 2.3 °C was lower compared to the DSC. The crystallization temperature for TMOR was always higher, and the melting temperature was always lower if related to DSC. This leads to the conclusion that TMOR is more accurate and direct. In addition, the transition peaks identified by TMOR were narrower compared to the DSC peaks. This is due to slower heating and cooling rates leading to a smaller temperature range of phase transition and less thermal lag. The study showed that TMOR is an appropriate method to determine the phase transition temperatures for the three examined substances. The results were comparable to the DSC data in both melting and crystallization behavior. Since the accuracy of TMOR is better at lower heating and cooling rates, it could be a reasonable extension of the well-known DSC method in the studies of melting and crystallization.

The presence of polysaccharides in cane and beet raw juices causes several negative effects during the sugar manufacture. These are usually mitigated by enzymatic decomposition of dextrans. Such effects not only depend on the content, but also on the molecular mass distribution. This means that the different dextran fractions specifically affect the process. An accurate process control hence requires the most precise knowledge about the existing content and the molecular mass distribution present. A detailed understanding of the specific processing problems and also a targeted enzyme application hence requires the determination of a total dextran content and also its characterization including the differentiation between the different dextran fractions. An accurate analytical tool which equally satisfies industrial applicability is still lacking. To improve on this situation, two new approaches for the determination of dextran were developed and benchmarked against the commonly used and established Haze Method, which is rather inaccurate and also sensitive to molecular mass variation. The two new approaches are both based on polarimetry. These two methods indicate to be superior over the Haze Method with respect two molecular mass variation and hence enable the determination of a broader molecular size range including also low molecular mass dextrans.

In the production of sugar from mixed syrups containing feedstock from beet and cane origin the non-sugar fraction plays an equally important role as in processing of material from a single source. However, the consequences of the resulting mixed non-sugar fraction on processes such as impurity, mainly colorants, incorporation and chemical reactions have not been studied yet. In this contribution the results of a study elucidating the kinetics of colorants formation in mixed syrups on thermal stress are given. It is found that the relative increase of syrup color value with respect to the starting value behaves quite systematic for wide range of mixed syrups. In all syrups the color values increase linearly with exposure time. The rate of increase is the highest for beet syrups. The generation rate increases with temperature in line with Arrhenius’ law. Different to earlier work no promoting effect of increased dry matter contents could be found. Furthermore, a model, assuming a first order reaction, to predict the color generation in mixed syrups based on the information of the pure syrups was formulated. This model is in essence generating data that match the experimental data within the range of the accuracy of the color value determination method. In conclusion the data suggest that there is no excess color generation on thermal stress due mixing of the non-sugar materials from different sources.

Oil migration in filled pralines is a phenomenon that is highly correlated with the occurrence of chocolate bloom. In this study the potential to suppress or prevent oil migration by incorporation of sterol/sterolster-structured organogels was evaluated. Different quantities, 2.5 or 14% (w/w), of gel with structurant levels of either 10 or 25% (w/w) were studied in a layered model system. The gel was either a part of the nougat or of the chocolate phase, or as a separate layer. Samples were monitored regularly for a period of 24 weeks at storage temperatures of 10, 18 and 28 °C. The amount of migrated oil was determined via DSC analysis of a surface sample. The results indicate that, despite the additional oil brought into the system via the oleogel, the level of oil found in the chocolate layer is reduced through the presence of the gel. In particular, the three-layer system and gelled chocolate appear to be promising routes to either suppress oil migration or improve nutritional profiles by incorporation of liquid oils.

An integrated approach using contextual, use-wear, scientific and experimental methods was used to analyze the role of stone troughs of up to 165 l capacity at the Early Neolithic site Gobekli Tepe in the context of other stone containers found there. Around 600 (mostly fragmentary) vessels from the site constitute the largest known assemblage from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of the Near East. Besides the large limestone troughs, it encompasses middle-sized, coarsely made limestone vessels, finely executed platters and ‘greenstone’ vessels. All lines of evidence taken together indicate the use of limestone troughs for the cooking of cereals.

The modification of starch owing to acid-thinning (AT) is intensified by a concomitant ultrasound (US) treatment, but the specific effect of the US on molecular changes, and the respective contribution of the single impacts are still unknown. The present study investigates the supporting effect of the US via examination and comparison of the single modifications [general conditions: starch slurry (40 % w/w), 40 °C, stirring; US: gradation of amplitude (50 and 100 %), cycle (0.50 and 0.75) and sonication time (20 and 60 min); AT: 0.36 M HCl, reaction time of 4 h] with the corresponding US assisted AT modified starches (US-AT) in terms of granular, molecular and functional properties. The US induced essentially a molecular degradation (debranching) of the amylopectin (AP), whereas chain cleavage within the amylose (AM) wasn’t excluded completely. Altogether, the US was estimated to be a separate and assisting modification rather than an AT accelerating component.

The present study investigates the use of flour from sprouted wheat for the production of extruded, directly expanded products. Until now, studies on the use of sprouted material in extrusion have not been concerned with differences in the sprouted material. This contribution documents the first attempt to study the effect of the variation of the sprouting process on extrudate properties. Extrudates were produced at standard conditions using material produced by the variation of sprouting times (steeped, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days sprouted). It was found that an increasing duration of the sprouting process also increases the starch degradation and hence sugar generation. During this process, vitamin C levels showed an increase of up to 10‐fold. The accompanying changes in viscosity propagate systematically into different observations. With increased starch degradation back pressures in the extrusion die were reduced, extrudates show less sectional expansion, but densities were decreased because longitudinal expansion was increased significantly. The extrudates made with sprouted material were preferred during sensory assessment. The degree of sprouting, which was defined earlier proved to be a useful property to characterize the progress of the sprouting process and correlated well with changes observed for the sprouted flour and extrudate properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The use of sprouted wheat in the production of direct expanded extrudates is a promising opportunity to change and improve extrudate properties. On the one hand, the nutritional value of the extrudates is improved due to the use of sprouted wheat flour which contains newly synthesized vitamins, more essential amino acids, and a decreased phytic acid content. On the other hand, the texture of the extrudates is improved and less additives are needed in the production. Due to the starch degradation in the sprouting process short‐chain sugars were formed, which naturally increase the sweetness of the extrudates.

The effect of dextran's molecular mass distribution (T40, T500, T2000, and enzymatically decomposed T2000) on the size and shape of calcium carbonate particles precipitated during carbonation, a step in the sugar manufacturing process, was investigated. Image analysis combined with size exclusion chromatography was used to distinguish harmful and harmless dextran sizes aiming at targeted mitigation of dextran‐related effects by dextranase. The data indicate that dextran with molecular masses above 10 kDa promotes agglomeration, indicated by an increase in particle projection area. This effect was especially found for broadly distributed intermediate but rather low molecular mass dextran (10–85 kDa). Based on particle shape data, the agglomeration of calcium carbonate crystals in the absence and in the presence of low molecular mass dextran ( 85 kDa) promotes nonoriented agglomeration and an increase in surface roughness. Once the dextran was significantly decomposed by enzyme action (10 or 50 mg/kg juice) to smaller molecules in the size range below 10 kDa, no dextran‐related effects on particle size and shape were found anymore. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The presence of dextran is known to cause several adverse effects during sugar manufacture. Among them, dextran can affect the size and shape distribution of calcium carbonate particles precipitated during carbonation as a part of the sugar beet raw juice purification. As a result, the purification as well as the filtration process can be affected. These dextran‐related effects are usually mitigated by enzymatic decomposition, a gradual reduction in molecular mass. For a targeted enzyme application, the decomposition products need to be identified and the corresponding effects due to varying molecular mass fractions on the precipitation of calcium carbonate need to be analyzed. Only then, a sufficient decomposition to harmless molecule sizes can be ensured. Thus, the data gathered give a clear guidance for dextranase treatment in sugar manufacture.

In this contribution, a new model to predict the thermodynamic properties, namely enthalpy of fusion (ΔHf) and melting temperature (Tm), of pure triglycerides (TAGs) is presented. Different contributions to these properties could be expressed by means of repetitive structural attributes deduced from molecular structures. Carefully formulated configurational and geometrical simplifications enabled to attribute physical meaning to most of the parameters. Overall, the number of adjustable parameters is successfully minimized to less than half compared to the well‐known model proposed by Wesdorp in “Liquid‐multiple solid phase equilibria in fats: theory and experiments” (1990). Comparing both models revealed that the new model surpasses the reference model considering desirable prediction quality, thermodynamical consistency, and the number of adjustable parameters. Practical application: The successful description of the phase behavior of TAG mixtures is crucial to understand complex phenomena in fat‐based products. This objective is based on reliable predictions of pure component properties and non‐ideal mixing in liquid‐ and solid‐phases. The newly formulated model gives reliable descriptions of experimental data and predictions of unknown data of TAGs — both thermodynamically consistent. Those are of benefit as prerequisite for any meaningful effort to predict the solid‐liquid phase behavior of TAG mixtures as well as crystallization kinetics.

The work presented here is concerned with the production of sugar from mixed juices that origin from both cane and beet. This is of interest because with the end of the regulation of the European sugar market in 2017 producers aim for higher utilization of their production sites. This can for example be achieved by co-processing of raw cane sugar and beet juice. Despite the abundant body of work concerning the colorants inclusion in either beet or cane sugar manufacturing practically no detailed information on this important parameter is available for mixed juices. The systematic study reported here reveals that colorants from different origin show a mutual suppression of their incorporation into the crystal. This is particularly surprising because these colorants are reported to follow specific incorporation mechanisms on different faces of the growing crystal. Further analysis reveals that the color contribution due to liquid inclusions, hence crystal imperfections, starts to increase only at high cane inclusion levels (80%), while the color effects of co-crystallization dominate and increase systematically with cane levels. Finally a model to forecast the color values of sugars crystallized from mixed juices is formulated.

Lecithin find a wide spread application in the food industry. The purpose of the work reported here was to systematically map the effects of some commercially available lecithins from different sources (soybean, sunflower, rapeseed), in their native state or hydrolysed form, on the crystallization behavior of model fat systems. To this end, systems based on palm oil as hard fat were studied. Next to macroscopic properties such as product hardness, the crystallization behaviour and the microstructure were studied as a function of time and temperature. Addition of the studied lecithin preparations had a significant influence on the hardness (p

In recent years, the interest in alternative cereals as pseudocereals has increased. The pseudocereal amaranth should be heated thermally before consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate the textural and morphological change of Amaranthus caudatus during heat soaking below boiling temperature. Therefore, the effects of heat soaking at different temperatures (20, 50, 60, 70, 80 °C) and times (1, 5, 24 h) of Amaranthus caudatus were researched. A significant textural and morphological change of amaranth grains was found for samples soaked at temperatures ≥60 °C, due to gelatinization of starch. Overall, with an increase in temperature moisture content and water absorption increased, while the firmness of grains decreased. A similar trend was observed for color changes: higher temperatures lead to a darker grain color. SEM images of hydrothermally treated amaranth samples displayed microstructural changes of the embryo and perisperm, which explain the firmness decrease. The temperature had a higher influence on morphological and textural changes than soaking time. Especially higher temperatures significantly altered the texture and external appearance of the grains while soaking time had negligible effect.

Oleogels offer the possibility to replace conventional saturated fatty acid (SAFA)‐based lipids with a healthier alternative by immobilizing liquid edible oils in a 3D‐network which is provided by an oleogelator. Numerous molecules which can structure oils rich in (poly)unsaturated fatty acids have been identified. These differ greatly in their chemical composition, network formation, and interactions and thus macroscopic properties of the respective oleogels. Oleogels have been a focal point of food research for over 20 years, yet product applications are lacking. Hence, the question arises whether the application of oleogels is unfeasible or if science lost sight of its objective. This review aims to assess different structuring systems concerning their availability, their potential for the utilization in food products and, if possible, their prices. Moreover, recent studies comprising the application of oleogels in food products are reviewed with special emphasis on the state and the function of the lipid phase during processing and in the final product. Therefore, the physical properties and preparation methods of different oleogels need to be considered in connection with the respective food application. Finally, it is discussed whether the application of oleogels is justified in these products and advantageous in comparison to liquid oil. Practical Applications: A diet rich in mono‐and polyunsaturated fatty acids which make up the majority of liquid edible oils lowers the risk to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, these oils cannot provide texture to food products in their native state. Oleogelation has the potential to deliver the solid structure necessary for numerous food products by transferring an oil rich in essential fatty acids into a solid‐like structure. Besides, the nutritional value of these oils remains practically unchanged. Although oleogelation has been the objective of various research groups for more than 20 years, product applications are scarce. This review aims to stimulate the mindfulness of research concerning the successful application of oleogels in food products. This hopefully enables a better connection between science and industry.

Starches with different amylose (AM)/amylopectin (AP) ratios (waxy potato: WxPS; regular potato: PS; high AM corn: HACS) are hydroxypropylated (HP, two levels) and subsequently acid‐thinned (AT) to produce dual‐modified samples. The physicochemical characteristics and techno‐functional properties of the solutions are investigated, and the data are evaluated statistically (analysis of variance). Differential scanning calorimetry gelatinization experiments reveal a reduction of the transition temperatures particularly due to HP. The subsequent AT decreases the specific enthalpy significantly. HACS samples have lower solubility (S) compared to their potato‐based counterparts (WxPS and PS), but HP enhances the starch's S. The S of the AP of the HACS samples is comparatively high, and HP particularly facilitates the additional solubilization of AM. Dual‐modified samples show characteristics of S similar to the corresponding HP samples. Or particular note, the HP‐modified WxPS and PS, respectively, tend to cause molecular degradation of the polymers dissolved. The hot paste viscosity is impacted significantly by all varied factors.

Starches with different amylose (AM)/amylopectin (AP) ratios (waxy potato: WxPS, regular potato: PS, high AM corn: HACS) are subjected to hydroxypropylation (HP, two levels) and subsequent acid‐thinning (AT) to produce dual modified samples. Pastes of the starch samples (native; single modification: HP and AT, respectively; dual modification) are prepared by pressure cooking to two different starch concentrations (C) (6% and 9% w/w) and systematically investigated especially in terms of light transmittance (T) and specific gel characteristics after long‐term cold storage (168 h at 5.5 ± 1.5 °C). The data are evaluated statistically (i.a. analysis of variance, ANOVA) and significant effects are identified. Indeed, the gel strength correlates positively with the AM content of the starch and C, but the HP eliminates the ability of the starch to gel in most cases. The improved Tgel due to HP is accompanied by extensive loss of mechanical strength in most cases, which is not compensated by the partial molecular degradation via AT. Hence, a synergistic effect of both modifications is not revealed. The synergistic implementation of a starch with the desired properties by preparing mixtures is not revealed during the present examinations.