Rice, as an important component of Asian diets, is a core source of high-quality carbohydrates that can rapidly and stably provide energy support for the human body. The flavor quality of rice directly determines its taste characteristics and consumer choice, and the formation pathway of flavor compounds is the core issue in understanding this quality. Currently, there is a lack of systematic elaboration on the generation mechanisms of flavor substances such as 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, acetaldehyde, and propanal during the cooking process of rice, as well as their interaction patterns with protein molecules. This article systematically reviews the generation pathways of key flavor substances in rice and analyzes in depth the interaction mechanisms between characteristic flavor components and proteins in rice. This review is of great significance for clarifying the molecular basis of rice aroma formation, optimizing the cooking and processing techniques of rice, and improving the taste quality of rice. It not only provides theoretical support for meeting the diversified demands of consumers for rice flavor but also offers technical guidance for the industrial production of ready-to-eat rice as a staple food, while providing a referential analytical framework and ideas for research on the flavor of other cereal foods.

With the continuous increase in the prevalence of chronic metabolic diseases, the role of functional foods in disease prevention and health promotion has gained growing attention. Cereals, as an essential component of the human diet, are rich in various functional constituents such as polyphenols, dietary fibers, and bioactive peptides, which exhibit significant potential in regulating metabolism, maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, exerting antioxidant and antihypertensive effects, and modulating immune function. This review systematically summarizes the major functional components of cereal-based products and their mechanisms of action, with a particular focus on the in vivo functions of cereal-derived polyphenols, dietary fibers, and peptides. In addition, it highlights the role of key processing technologies (e.g., fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, extrusion, high-pressure treatment, and nanotechnology) in the release and transformation of functional components, demonstrating that appropriate processing can markedly enhance the bioavailability and health benefits of cereal constituents. Furthermore, the practical applications of functional cereal products in the food industry are discussed, covering staple foods, snack foods, and beverages. This review aims to provide theoretical support and practical reference for the development, application, and mechanistic study of functional cereal-based foods.

The directional regulation of cereal flavor is a core issue in the field of food processing and one of the key factors affecting food quality. The formation and release of the characteristic flavor substances of cereals are influenced by processing conditions. This paper systematically reviews the generation mechanisms and release patterns of the characteristic flavor compounds (volatile and non-volatile compounds) of cereals subjected to six traditional processing technologies, including milling, fermentation, and baking. It also explains the interaction mechanisms of protein, starch and lipid precursors through pathways such as the Maillard reaction and oxidative degradation. Special emphasis is placed on the latest progress in the application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), electronic nose/electronic tongue, molecular sensory omics, and artificial intelligence in flavor analysis. These techniques provide analytical tools for exploring the intrinsic relationship between processing conditions and changes in flavor substances. Meanwhile, construction of a systematic research framework of “processing-precursor-flavor” and introduction of artificial intelligence based on flavor analysis technologies to achieve the prediction and regulation of flavor can help with the directional regulation of the generation, transformation, and release of flavor components under different processing conditions. In the future, focus should be placed on the integration of low-energy-consuming processing technologies and precise flavor models, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the development of cereal products with the synergistic advantages of “flavor- nutrition-health”.

Resistant starch (RS) comprises starch fractions that resist digestion in the small intestine and reach the colon, where they are fermented by the microbiota. Resistant starch harbors functional properties and health-promoting ingredients that can regulate blood glucose and lipid levels, prevent cancer, and enhance the quality of life. Consequently, new technologies for the preparation of RS are continually being developed to support its industrial production. This review describes the structural and nutritional properties of RS and examines recent advancements in RS preparation methods. Emphasis is placed on how RS structure influences its properties and the physiological mechanisms in vivo. This review aims to stimulate further research into the preparation methods, functional characteristics, and utilization of RS, thereby supporting ongoing developments in the food industry.

With the increasing prevalence of metabolic diseases associated with high-starch diets, how to effectively regulate the rate of starch digestion has become a hot research topic in the field of food science and nutrition. As a class of natural functional components, exogenous proteins have been shown to play important roles in inhibiting starch digestion. This paper reviews recent progress in research on the inhibition of starch digestion by exogenous proteins, focusing on the properties of proteins from different sources, the effect of protein pretreatment on their digestive properties, and their potential inhibitory mechanisms, involving the protein network barrier effect, protein-starch interactions, and inhibition of starch-like enzyme activities. Finally, it discusses the prospects and challenges for the application of inhibition of starch digestive properties by adding proteins in the development of functional foods and health management. The aim of this paper is to provide theoretical support for the devment of functional foods and to offer scientific references for the public in healthy dietary regulation.

Intake of whole grains has substantial health benefits, which are attributed to various functional substances in whole grains. When consumed, whole grais are digested and fermented in the gastrointestinal tract, transforming active ingredients into important metabolites regulating human health and having multiple beneficial effects on certain human diseases. Numerous studies have shown that diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal cancer are related to diet and the intestinal microflora. Although the relationship between these diseases and whole grains and the gut microbiota has not been thoroughly studied, the interactions between the gut microbiota and whole grains and the effects on the expression of related regulatory genes have been increasingly studied in recent years, and an increasing number of findings have confirmed the role of whole grains in regulating human diseases. In this paper, we review the role and molecular mechanism of whole grains in the regulation of these diseases, which will provide a biological basis and reference for further research and application of whole grains.

The static and dynamic rheological properties of doughs made from six rice and high-gluten wheat flour blends were studied. In the dynamic rheological frequency sweep test, the storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G’’) of mixed doughs showed an overall upward trend with increasing amount of rice flour added, and the opposite trend was observed for tan δ. In the creep relaxation test, the maximum creep strain, maximum creep compliance and instantaneous recovery compliance gradually decreased, and the zero shear viscosity and instantaneous recovery ratio gradually increased. These observations indicated that the gluten in wheat flour was diluted after adding rice flour, but the starch granules in rice flour swelled and adhered to each other after absorbing water, and interacted with rice flour proteins, imparting higher elastic modulus and more internal structure to dough. In the dynamic rheological temperature sweep test, the viscoelasticity of mixed doughs was changed significantly before and after the gelatinization temperature, and the G’ and G’’ curves were similar to the starch gelatinization curve, indicating that starch was the major component affecting the rheological properties of raw dough during heating. The G’ and G’’ increased regularly in the high temperature zone, but decreased regularly in the low temperature zone below 60 ℃ during cooling. The samples had solid-like properties during the whole cooling process.

In this study, a covalent complex between tamarind seed globulin (TSG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was prepared by alkali treatment. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to analyze the binding rate of TSG-EGCG covalent complex and the binding conditions were optimized. The effects of adding different amounts of TSG-EGCG covalent complex on the cooking loss, water-holding capacity and texture of emulsified sausages were studied using a color difference meter, a texture analyzer and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that reaction at pH 9.5 and 30 ℃ with a mass ratio of TSG to EGCG of 1:0.1 gave the maximum binding rate. Compared with TSG, the microstructure of emulsified sausages added with TSG-EGCG complex was more compact, the three-dimensional gel network was more uniform and clear, and the cooking loss, water-holding capacity and texture properties were significantly improved. In conclusion, TSG-EGCG complex can improve the sensory quality of emulsified sausages, and the quality of emulsified sausages can be significantly improved by adding 2% of TSG-EGCG complex.

The volatile flavor substances of rice with remained germ roasted to different degrees were analyzed and compared by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA), with the aim of establishing fingerprints of volatile components of rice with different roasting degrees. The results showed that the volatile substances of rice samples with different roasting levels could be well separated by GC-IMS, and in total 61 flavor compounds were detected in four rice samples at all roasting stages. Aldehydes, esters and heterocyclic compounds contributed more to the characteristic flavor of roasted rice, while alcohols and ketones also contributed to the characteristic aroma components of roasted rice. The types and contents of aroma compounds of rice with different roasting degrees were significantly different. PCA showed that the GC-IMS spectra of volatile components differed among rice with different roasting degrees, and the cumulative contribution rates of the first two principal components were both 94%, indicating that the flavor fingerprints of rice samples at different roasting levels can be successfully established using GC-IMS.

Non-thermal processing technology has been widely used in starch modification because of its advantages such as environmental friendliness, safety and high efficiency. After non-thermal modification, changes in the granular morphology, crystal shape, crystallinity and helical structure of starch will affect its gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics, solubility and digestibility. Changes in functional characteristics can further improve the practical application of starch. In this paper, the principles of six non-thermal processing technologies for starch modification, namely, ball milling, pulse electric field, high pressure, ultrasound, radiation and plasma are reviewed, the importance of non-thermal technology for starch granule structure as well as the effect of starch structural changes at different levels on its functional properties are discussed, and future prospects for the application of non-thermal technology in starch deep processing are proposed.