Fermentation of Native Wheat, Potato, and Pea Starches, and their Preparations by Bifidobacterium – Changes in Resistant Starch Content

Wronkowska M., Soral-Śmietana M. (2012): Fermentation of native wheat, potato, and pea starches, and their preparations by Bifidobacterium – changes in resistant starch content. Czech J. Food Sci., 30: 9–14. The capability was studied of the selected Bifidobacterium strains to utilise the resistant starch fraction (RS) from native starches of the following origin: wheat, potato, and pea, and their preparations obtained experimentally by physical and enzymatical modifications. Furthermore, the potential influence of the gelatinisation process on the degree of utilisation of RS from the investigated starch samples was studied. The following strains: B. pseudolongum KSI9, B. animalis KS20a1, and B. breve KN14, were chosen. The native starches and their preparations were characterised by their different contents of the RS fraction, which was metabolised during in vitro fermentation for Bifidobacterium growth. The highest decrease in the RS content was observed in the case of native potato and pea starches after 24-h fermentation by Bifidobacterium strains. The RS fraction of the wheat starch preparation was generally a better substrate for the selected bacteria (19–34%) in comparison with the native wheat starch (0–13%). The gelatinisation process of the native starches and their preparations had a negligible effect on the RS fraction utilised as a substrate for stimulating the growth of the Bifidobacterium strains selected.