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This study was conducted to analyze the moisture characteristics, microstructure and macroscopic quality of fresh wheat noodles processed at three sheeting gaps: 0.9, 1.5 and 2.2 mm. The results showed that water affected the macroscopic quality of fresh noodles mainly through two ways: directly and indirectly. In the direct way, as the sheeting gap decreased from 2.2 to 0.9 mm, the activity, freezability and freedom of water molecules within noodles reduced, limiting microbial utilization of nutrients and inhibiting microbial growth. In the indirect way, as the sheeting gap decreased, the binding strength between water molecules and flour components was enhanced. When the sheeting gap was 1.5 mm, the water molecules in a stronger bonding state prompted the formation of more stable and orderly β-sheets and α-helices in noodles through hydrogen bonding, solidifying the secondary structure and disulfide bonds of gluten and consequently resulting in the formation of a uniform and coherent gluten network manifested by a higher branching rate and a lower end-point rate, ultimately leading to a lower cooking loss rate.

In order to improve the drying process of oat noodles, the effects of temperature, relative humidity and addition amount of oat on its quality were studied. Wheat flour and oat powder were used as raw materials to prepare oat noodles with different content of oat (0, 10%, 20%, 30%), which were dried at different temperatures (40, 50, 60 $) and relative humidity (55%, 65%, 75%). The color, bending resistance, cooking quality, texture quality, acidity, fatty acid value, !-glucan content, microstructure, and sensory quality were measured, and analyzed the effects of different temperature, relative humidity and different amount of oat on the quality of oat noodle. The results showed that the dried noodles had lower b* value, longer breaking distance, lower acidity, and fatty acid content when dried at 40 $ (P<0.05). When the relative humidity was 75%, the b* value, bending strength, breaking distance, acidity and fatty acid content of the noodles were higher "P <0.05). When the addition amount of oat flour was 30%, the L* value was lower, the a* value was higher, the bending strength breaking distance was smaller, and the acidity, fatty acid and /3-glucan contents were higher "P < 0.05). The temperature of 45 and relative humidity of 75% were reasonable drying process of oat noodles. Drying at low temperature and high humidity (40 !/75%) can improve the color, cooking, and texture quality of oat noodles, the microstructure is compact and the sensory score is good. It can be used for drying oat noodles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) have been reported to exert therapeutic potential on managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Various mechanisms have been proposed; however, several studies have not considered the correlations between the anti-T2DM activity of NSPs and their molecular structure. Moreover, the current understanding of the role of NSPs in T2DM treatment is mainly based on in vitro and in vivo data, and more human clinical trials are required to verify the actual efficacy in treating T2DM. The related anti-T2DM mechanisms of NSPs, including regulating insulin action, promoting glucose metabolism and regulating postprandial blood glucose level, anti-inflammatory and regulating gut microbiota (GM), are reviewed. The structure-function relationships are summarized, and the relationships between NSPs structure and anti-T2DM activity from clinical trials are highlighted. The development of anti-T2DM medication or dietary supplements of NSPs could be promoted with an in-depth understanding of the multiple regulatory effects in the treatment/intervention of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative disorders pose a substantial risk to human health, and oxidative stress, cholinergic dysfunction, and inflammation are the major contributors. The purpose of this study was to explore the neuroprotective effects of oat protein hydrolysate (OPH) and identify peptides with neuroprotective potential. This study is the first to isolate and identify OPH peptides with neuroprotective potential, including DFVADHPFLF (DF-10), HGQNFPIL (HL-8), and RDFPITWPW (RW-9), by screening via peptidomes and molecular-docking simulations. These peptides showed positive effects on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and thus reduced oxidative stress through regulation of Nrf2-keap1/HO-1 gene expression in vitro and in vivo. The peptides also significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in the zebrafish model. This improvement was correlated with mitigation of MDA levels, AChE activity, and levels of inflammatory cytokines in the brains of zebrafish. Furthermore, these peptides significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of Bdnf, Nrf2, and Erg1 in the brains of zebrafish with neurodegenerative disorders. Collectively, oat peptides have potential for use as active components in nutraceutical applications for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multivariate linear regression model between the coupling factor and the quality index of oat noodles in the drying system was established, and the drying coupling factor predicted the quality index of oat noodles. Taking the quality index of oat noodles as the dependent variables, and the coupling factors (temperature, air absolute water potential, air absolute water potential and accumulated temperature) as the independent variables, through multiple linear regression, the prediction model of each quality index of oat noodles was established, evaluated and verified. The results showed that the established quality index regression models of optimal cooking time, cooking loss, cooking water absorption, ductility, hardness, chewability, adhesion, flexural strength, breaking distance, acidity and fatty acid value, were significant (P <0.01), and the model's coefficients R2 for quality index prediction were 0.8075, 0.9981, 0.8485, 0.8354, 0.8118, 0.8194, 0.8030, 0.8416, 0.8838, 0.8100 and 0.8888, respectively. The drying coupling factor can be used to predict the quality index of oat noodles, and the study provided a theoretical basis for the quality control of oat noodles in the drying process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]