Hydrogen-rich Water Was Used for Starch Modification for the First Time

Domestic research on the botanical effects of hydrogen and food preservation is extensive, with Turkey having the most research on the use of hydrogen in food processing. This research primarily focuses on promoting the extraction of food components and enhancing food flavor. This study, which found that hydrogen enhances the effects of starch annealing, is highly innovative.

This study investigated the combined effects of annealing (ANN) using distilled water, hydrogen-rich water, and plasma-activated water on the multi-structural, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of quinoa starch. Compared to native quinoa starch, annealing with all three water treatments significantly altered starch morphology, increasing amylose content and thermal stability. Annealing did not alter the A-type crystalline structure of native quinoa starch, but did increase relative crystallinity. Furthermore, the in vitro hydrolysis rate of all three annealed starches decreased, the content of rapidly digestible starch decreased, and the content of slowly digestible starch and resistant starch increased. Annealing with hydrogen-rich water and plasma-activated water resulted in greater modification of quinoa starch than with distilled water, with plasma-activated water having the most significant effect. This is attributed to the acidic environment of plasma-activated water (containing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species) and the alkaline environment of hydrogen-rich water (containing hydrogen atoms), respectively, which lead to stronger interactions between starch molecules. These results suggest that annealing combined with hydrogen-rich water or plasma-activated water may be a new strategy for future starch modification. To our knowledge, this is the first time hydrogen-rich water annealing has been used for starch modification. Further research is needed to uncover more potential underlying mechanisms.