Combined dilute alkali and milling process enhances the functionality and gut microbiota fermentability of insoluble corn fiber

Qing Jin; Yiming Feng; Xavier Cabana-Puig; Tran N Chau; Ronnie Difulvio; Dajun Yu; Anyang Hu; Song Li; Xin M Luo; Jactone Ogejo; Feng Lin; Haibo Huang

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138815

Combined dilute alkali and milling process enhances the functionality and gut microbiota fermentability of insoluble corn fiber

Food Chem. 2024 Jul 15:446:138815. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138815. Epub 2024 Feb 22.

Authors

Qing Jin¹, Yiming Feng², Xavier Cabana-Puig³, Tran N Chau⁴, Ronnie Difulvio⁵, Dajun Yu⁵, Anyang Hu⁶, Song Li⁴, Xin M Luo³, Jactone Ogejo², Feng Lin⁶, Haibo Huang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States; School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States.
² Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
³ Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
⁴ School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
⁵ Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
⁷ Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States. Electronic address: huang151@vt.edu.

PMID: 38428087
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138815

Abstract

In this study, we developed a process combining dilute alkali (NaOH or NaHCO₃) and physical (disk milling and/or ball milling) treatments to improve the functionality and fermentability of corn fiber. The results showed that combining chemical with physical processes greatly improved the functionality and fermentability of corn fiber. Corn fiber treated with NaOH followed by disk milling (NaOH-DM-CF) had the highest water retention (19.5 g/g), water swelling (38.8 mL/g), and oil holding (15.5 g/g) capacities. Moreover, NaOH-DM-CF produced the largest amount (42.9 mM) of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) during the 24-hr in vitro fermentation using porcine fecal inoculum. In addition, in vitro fermentation of NaOH-DM-CF led to a targeted microbial shifting to Prevotella (genus level), aligning with a higher fraction of propionic acid. The outstanding functionality and fermentability of NaOH-DM-CF were attributed to its thin and loose structure, decreased ester linkages and acetyl groups, and enriched structural carbohydrate exposure.

Keywords: Corn, processing methods; Gut microbiome; Insoluble dietary fiber; Physicochemical and functional properties; Short-chain fatty acid.

MeSH terms

Alkalies
Animal Feed / analysis
Animals
Dietary Fiber* / analysis
Fatty Acids, Volatile / analysis
Feces / chemistry
Fermentation
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Sodium Hydroxide
Swine
Water / analysis
Zea mays / chemistry

Substances

Dietary Fiber
Alkalies
Sodium Hydroxide
Fatty Acids, Volatile
Water