Tropical root crops, of which the sweet potato is an important representative, constitute an underexploited resource of developing countries. They can be used as food for both human and animal consumption and their starch is a source of industrial raw material. This review will consider recent reports on sweet potatoes, the physicochemical properties of their starches in comparison with other starches, and the possible causes of variation in these characteristics.

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Phenolic compounds are important products of secondary metabolism in plants. They cannot be synthesized in the human body and are mainly taken from food. Cereals, especially whole grains, are important sources of dietary polyphenols. Compared with vegetables and fruits, the content and biological activities of polyphenols in cereals have long been underestimated. Polyphenols in whole grains are non-nutritive compounds, which are distributed in all structural areas of cereal substances, mainly phenolic acids, flavonoids, and lignans. In recent years, the health effects of whole grains are closely related to their phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities. Now, different physicochemical processing treatments and their effects have been summarized in order to provide the basis for promoting the development and utilization of food. The various functions of whole grains are closely related to the antioxidant effect of polyphenols. As the basic research on evaluating the antioxidant effect of active substances, in vitro antioxidant tests are faster and more convenient.

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Resistant starch (RS) was esterified by l-malic acid, and the optimum conditions determined using a response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box–Behnken design (BBD) were: temperature, 146 °C; pH, 1.46; time, 5.52 h; and mass ratio, 0.60.

As a recyclable natural material, starch is an important raw material in food and other fields. The native starch by esterification could improve the performance of the original starch and expand its range of application. This article reviews the preparation process of acetylated distarch adipate, starch sodium octenylsuccinate, starch acetate, hydroxypropyl starch, and starch phosphate and research into the influence of starch esters on dough. At the same time, it forecasts the trend of starch esters and application prospect in the future research.

Cereal products are the most important dietary source for energy intake and several bioactive compounds with high concentrations in the bran and the germ. Different cereal products provide a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals, namely, phenolic acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, alkylresorcinols, benzoxazines, phytosterols, and lignans. The bioactive substance alkylresorcinols (ARs) present in the whole cereal can inhibit enzyme activity, prevent bacterial or fungal infection, reduce cholesterol absorption, prevent cancer, and resist oxidation. In this paper, we discussed the biological activity of ARs in whole cereal products. Understanding the effects of processing on cereal phytochemicals will help us to develop improved processes for processing cereal foods with higher retention rates of bioactive compounds.