Effects of low‐pressure radio‐frequency cold plasma on the biochemical parameters and fatty acid profile of wheat flours

Abstract

Background and Objectives Cold plasma (CP) treatment is a promising way to remove mycotoxins from cereal kernels, although its effects on nutrient contents remain unclear. This study evaluates the biochemical parameters, gelatinization properties, and fatty acid profile of Chinese hard‐white wheat flour treated with low‐pressure radio‐frequency (RF) CP (13.56 MHz, 140 Pa, helium or oxygen, 120 W, 0–180 s, 70 g sample). Findings 120 W oxygen and helium plasma respectively required 90 and 120 s treatment to remove 50% deoxynivalenol (DON) from hard‐white wheat flour samples with 1.22 μg/g DON. A General Linear Model–Univariate analysis shows that oxygen and helium plasma both significantly increased water absorption rate, conductivity, and contents of reducing sugars, amylose, soluble protein, and saturated fatty acids in wheat flours but decreased the contents of soluble amino acids, total, unsaturated, mono‐unsaturated and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids, and enthalpy of gelatinization, and kept gelatinization peak temperature. At the same treatment time, helium plasma induced a higher water absorption rate, conductivity, and contents of pentosan and sulfhydryl groups in wheat flours than oxygen plasma. Oxygen plasma induced more reductions in mono‐ and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids in wheat flours than helium plasma. Compared with the untreated samples, helium plasma increased the values of water SRC, NaHCO3 SRC, and sucrose SRC, but decreased the lactic acid SRC, suggesting that the flour functional polymers were modified by helium plasma treatment, but oxygen plasma kept these four SRC values and did not significantly alter the functional polymers in wheat flour. Conclusion The treatment with low‐pressure RF CP can increase hydrophilicity, and unsaturated fatty acid oxidation in wheat flours while kept starch gelatinization, and helium plasma can modify the flour's functional polymers. Significance and Novelty The suitable helium CP treatment (low‐pressure RF, 120 W, and 90–120 s) is a promising way to reduce the contaminants of wheat flours and improve their functional properties.

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“…This testifies that regular intake of the amino acid combinations positively affected cognitive function -memory, speed of reactions, and efficiency of information processing. Amino acid enhanced by the radiation of a cold plasma had an even more substantial effect, which correlates with the published data on food processing [29][30][31][32][33].…”

“…Amino acid enhanced by the cold plasma igniton/tachyon "charged" had an even more substantial effect, which correlates with the published data on food processing [15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…The utilization of cold plasma in food preparation has gained significant popularity in recent times [15]. The purpose of its application is to mitigate the occurrence of microbial contaminations [16].…”

Effect of Intermittent Low-Pressure Radiofrequency Helium Cold Plasma Treatments on Rice Gelatinization, Fatty Acid, and Hygroscopicity

“…A cold plasma processor HD-3 N from Changzhou Hanjie Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Jiangsu province, China was used for rice treatment. The plasma reactor comprises a quart glass tube with 10 mm thickness × 300 mm height × 300 mm internal diameter [22]. The top and base plates of the reactor were made of stainless steel material.…”

Study of the Gelatinization, Fatty Acid Profiles and the Conversion of Ergosterol into Vitamin D in Wheat Shorts by Optimization of Low-pressure Radiofrequency Cold Plasma Treatment Conditions

“…The gelatinization properties of the wheat shorts were determined with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC; 214 Polyma, Netzsch, Germany) as previously described by Gao et al [6] . A sample (5.0mg) was weighed into an aluminium crucible and distilled water was added to give a water/sample ratio of 2:1.…”