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Analysis of starch digestibility in cereal-based products.

Summary

Profile Type
Technology offer
POD Reference
TOES20231201007
Term of Validity
1 December 2023 - 30 November 2024
Company's Country
Spain
Type of partnership
Commercial agreement with technical assistanceResearch and development cooperation agreement
Targeted Countries
All countries
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General information

Short Summary
A Spanish technological center offers starch digestibility analysis using the glycemic index.
The results will provide information of great relevance for the characterization of existing foods and the design of new ones, aimed at both the healthy population and those with pathologies such as diabetes or celiac disease, among others.
The company is looking for commercial agreement with technical assistance and/or research and development cooperation agreement.
Full Description
The glycemic index (GI) is a widely used tool to classify carbohydrate foods according to their ability to increase blood glucose concentration after consumption.

The GI of a specific food or meal is determined primarily by the nature of the carbohydrate consumed and by other dietary factors that affect nutrient digestibility or insulin secretion. Results vary significantly due to factors such as particle size, degree of cooking and processing of foods, composition (e.g., fat, protein, dietary fiber), and starch structure.

The starch hydrolysis index (GI in vitro) has been considered a good predictor of starch digestibility and, therefore, of the glycemic response in the body, without the need to carry out in vivo studies, which, despite being the most reliable results, entail great difficulty in their analysis, due to the limitations in terms of products to be tested, the population necessary to carry out the analyses, as well as the lack of sensitivity to detect subtle changes due to the inter-individual and intra-individual variations of the analysts.

With the use of these methods, all possible fractions in which starch can be presented are included. The first method provides information on free glucose and resistant starches, while the second offers us the evolution curve of starch over time.

There are very few laboratories in Spain that develop this technology, given the complexity of its development and obtaining reliable results.

The volume of samples is in always the same, and a total of 4 samples can be analyzed in triplicate per day. The last measurement of the Goñi test is carried out the next day (after 16 hours), so the test time is slightly prolonged.

Although at the beginning of the development of the test the deviations in the results obtained were significant, small modifications made in the methodologies as well as greater skill achieved by the analysts have managed to reduce these deviations to a minimum (indicate that they will depend on the product analyzed, so there are no reference values).

Commercial agreements and research and development cooperation agreements are welcome.
Advantages and Innovations
While the megazyme kit provides resistant starch results its executable in one day, and is the easiest to purchase, the reagents and enzymes are included, it has the largest number of reference values from other autors, more equipment is required tan in other methods. There are only four measurements throughout the method, it does not include free starch glucose measurement. It is based on the Englyst method. This protocol is complex, but simpler tan englyst, and in case of damaging a reagent, the purchase of a complete kit is required.

The englyst test is one of the two most widespread essays. There are a large number of references values and provides results for both resistant starch and free starch glucose. It is executable in one day, but there are more difficulties in obtaining the enzymes, as they are from various suppliers. There are only 3 or four measurements throughout the test, it is a complex protocol that requires greater training and skills and requires a second day if you want to measure free glucose.

The Goñi essay is another of the two most widespread, you obtain 5 to 7 measurements throughout the trial, it’s easier than the other methods, and requires less variety of reagents, but two analysts are required in its execution. The cost of reagents is bigger, it takes a day and a half to execute and doesn´t provide results for resistant starch or free glucose, so it can be combined with Englyst to obtain it. Results require statistical treatment.
Stage of Development
Already on the market
Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 4: Quality EducationGoal 3: Good Health and Well-beingGoal 8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
The offer is focused to any company or research centre that works with whole wheat flour, especially cereal processing companies (flour mills) and cereal-derived products industries (breads, cookies, biscuits, etc.).

The collaborator must provide the flours that they want to characterize and any other information that could be useful, such as what will be the product they want to elaborate or special conditions of the process.
Type and Size of Partner
SME 50 - 249UniversityR&D InstitutionSME 11-49Big company
Type of partnership
Commercial agreement with technical assistanceResearch and development cooperation agreement

Call details

Coordinator required
Yes

Dissemination

Technology keywords
08002001 - Detection and Analysis methods08002002 - Food Microbiology / Toxicology / Quality Control08001002 - Food Additives/Ingredients/Functional Food008003 - Nutrition and Health08001005 - Food Technology
Market keywords
05009004 - Plant health09005 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Animal Husbandry & Related Products05008002 - Food and feed ingredients05009001 - Food & feed ingredients
Targeted countries
All countries