Fibre and water binding

Abstract

The range of interactions between fibre and water and the consequential properties of the bound water are modelled and examined. Dietary fibre may interact with water by means of polar and hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding and enclosure. The results of these interactions vary with the flexibility of the fibre surface. When the fibre is insoluble or junction zones are formed, this may result in profound changes in the surrounding water. Such interactions are capable of affecting the structuring and solvation properties of water well away from the immediate surfaces involved. In particular, the specific properties of water enclosed by dietary fibre are examined, an area of investigation previously receiving scant attention. The way this enclosure may affect the properties of water is exemplified by modelling the colon to show how fibre may exert a beneficial action by the preferential partitioning of hydrophobic carcinogens. Unfermented dietary fibre has a tendency to form low-density expanded water that acts as a preferential solvent for hydrophobic molecules when compared with the less-structured denser water within the much more hydrophilic mucus layer.

Effect of incorporation levels of oat and green pea flour on the properties of an extruded product and their optimization

“…On the other hand, the WAI increased with the increase of the content of OF to some level, after it decreased. This increase may be due to β-glucan present in oat, as the absorption of water is the characteristic feature of fi bre supplemented fl ours (CHAPLIN, 2003). High dietary fi bre in oats may interact with water by means of various types of interactions, such as polar, hydrophobic interactions, or hydrogen bonding.…”

Moisture content in broiler excreta is influenced by excreta nutrient contents1

“…Inconsistent effects of trace minerals on excreta moisture have, however, been reported by Nishimuta et al (2006) and Zhong et al (2007). A high dietary protein content (Collett, 2012) or insoluble fibers in the diet, which can have a high water binding capacity in the GIT (Chaplin, 2003), can increase the water content of droppings.…”

Physicochemical properties of frozen tortillas from nixtamalized maize flours enriched with β-glucans

“…The increase of FW found throughout of this study possibly occurs by the same effect, a weak interaction of β-glucans with water present in FTs. This weaker interaction of β-glucans with water may have been the cause of decreasing of bound water in the system, since according to Chaplin (2003) the unfreezable water is more tightly and specifically bound. Therefore the unfreezable water also decreased, resulting in an increasing of FW in FTs.…”

“…β-glucans are polysaccharides of D-glucose monomers linked through β-glycosidic bonds, and the derived from cereals have two or three consecutive β-(1-4) linkages separated by a single β-(1-3) linkage (Lazaridou & Biliaderis, 2007;Zhu et al, 2016). Some reports show that hydroxyl groups of fibers including β-glucans, interact with water through hydrogen bonding, favoring their capacity to absorb or retain water (Chaplin, 2003;Foschia et al, 2013). This could change the water absorption properties of flours, and secondly compete with starch for water, causing changes in gelatinization, thermal and rheological properties of masa (Cornejo-Villegas et al, 2010;Ramírez-Moreno et al, 2015), which could affect the machinability of masa and tortilla.…”