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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Bioproducts Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420155
Research Project: Zero Waste Agricultural Processing

Location: Bioproducts Research

Title: Dual network construction strategy of starch and calcium alginate to prepare tapioca pearls with efficiently embedded gamma-aminobutyric acid

Author
item YU, ZHE - Jiangnan University
item ZHANG, QINYI - Jiangnan University
item LI, HANG - Jiangnan University
item MA, YUN - Jiangnan University
item Chiou, Bor Sen
item LIU, FEI - Jiangnan University

Submitted to: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/2/2025
Publication Date: 5/3/2025
Citation: Yu, Z., Zhang, Q., Li, H., Ma, Y., Chiou, B., Liu, F. 2025. Dual network construction strategy of starch and calcium alginate to prepare tapioca pearls with efficiently embedded gamma-aminobutyric acid. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 311(3). Article 143929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.143929.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.143929

Interpretive Summary: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid and a neurotransmitter that blocks impulses between nerve cells in the brain. It occurs naturally in foods and has been used as a dietary supplement to relieve anxiety and improve sleep. GABA has been added to tapioca starch blends that can be used as tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks. However, GABA can leak from the pearls during the cooking process. This study examined the effects of adding calcium alginate to form a dual network structure with starch to reduce leakage and improve controlled release properties. The addition of calcium alginate improved the texture properties of the tapioca pearls, resulting in a decrease in amount of leakage during cooking. Also, simulated digestion results showed that the samples containing calcium alginate had superior controlled-release properties over time. These results indicated that the simple addition of calcium alginate can be used to help improve GABA retention during cooking as well as improve controlled release during digestion.

Technical Abstract: The supplementation of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) through food matrices such as tapioca pearls has gained consumer acceptance due to better palatability and digestive release. However, GABA can leak from the pearls during the cooking process. This study proposes a simple and cost-effective one-pot method where sodium alginate and calcium lactate are directly added to the tapioca starch matrix to form dual networks, reducing the cooking leakage rate from 36.27% to 15.52%. Furthermore, this method extends the sustained release time of GABA in the digestive tract. The mechanism of leakage prevention was elucidated through microstructure analysis. This study also examined the effects of calcium alginate networks on starch matrix and the interactions between these two networks. The starch-calcium alginate dual network reduced GABA leakage during the cooking process in tapioca pearls, while improving its sustained release during digestion. The present work provides a new approach to improving encapsulation and digestive release of small molecules and water-soluble nutrients.