Fish collagen peptides, an effective starch gelatinization regulator, modify the processing properties and improve the nutritional value of wheat starch

Owing to diverse functional and bioactive properties, fish collagen peptides (FCP), a by-product from the fish processing industry, have garnered popularity among consumers. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of FCP on wheat starch (WS) gelatinization and evaluate its application potential in starchy food. Pasting and thermal analyses indicated the degree of starch gelatinization decreased linearly as the concentration of FCP increased. Under the peptide concentration, the peak viscosity and enthalpy change were reduced by 76.54% and 26.23%, respectively. FCP competed with WS for available water, resulting in the preservation of more intact starch granules after gelatinization. Rheological results suggested that FCP reduced the viscosity and weakened the gel structure of starch pastes. With decreased tanδ, starch pastes presented a more dominant elastic behavior. Moreover, FCP alleviated the digestion rate of WS, with the rapidly digestible starch content decreasing from 79.94% to 73.19% and the resistant starch content increasing from 11.67% to 17.06%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that FCP improved the ordered structures of WS and hydrogen bonds played a pivotal role in the property changes of starch. Consequently, it is inferred that FCP holds considerable promise as a starch gelatinization regulator, which is capable of modifying the processing properties and enhancing the nutritional value of starchy food.