Natural sources of health-promoting starch

Abstract

Resistant starch (RS) is considered a dietary fibre and prebiotic provided by functional foods. It has many proven health-promoting benefits, particularly in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Commercially available functional foods usually contain chemically-modified resistant starch types RS4 or RS2 derived from genetically-modified plant lines with high amylose content. The aim of this study was to screen for natural sources of RS3 (arising during cooking, baking and freezing) in cereals, pseudocereals and legumes. Highly valuable natural sources of health-promoting RS3 resistant starch were: triticale (cultivars Kendo, Pinokio, Presto, Tricolor), rye (Dankowskie Nove, Esprit), wheat (Boka), buckwheat (Pyra), chickpea (Alfa), kidney bean (Fabia, Ultima), pea (Elkan, Gloriosa, Zázrak z Kelvedonu), faba bean (Omar) and lentil (Renka). © 2006 VÚP Food Research Institute.