Effect of guar gum content on some physical and nutritional properties of extruded products

The effect of guar gum (0–10%) added to flour (maize, potato, rice, and wheat) prior to extrusion on the microstructure, physical properties (texture, expansion, density, pasting) and nutritional properties (starch digestibility) was investigated. The inclusion of guar gum did not decrease starch digestibility; rather, at 10% guar gum rapidly digestible starch increased by 24%, 15%, 25% and 43%, in maize, potato, rice and wheat flour-based products, respectively. In general, increases in starch digestibility appear to be related to the weaker microstructure (i.e., lower textural hardness), larger matrix surface area, and lower viscosity (pasting properties) of extrudates containing guar gum. These results suggest that microstructural changes affect the starch digestibility of extrudates; nevertheless, probably other factors such as particle size during digestion may also play an important role.