The suitability of barley and corn starches in their native and chemically modified forms for volatile meat flavor encapsulation

In order to minimize the evaporative flavor loss and to improve flavor stability, the encapsulation potential of native corn and barley starches [waxy corn starch (CW), regular corn starch (CR), waxy barley starch (BW), regular barley starch (BR)] and their chemically modified counterparts (succinylated starches: CWS; CRS; BWS; BRS and octenyl succinylated starches: CWOS; CROS; BWOS; BROS) were investigated. Four different types of synthetic flavors, namely benzaldehyde, dimethyl trisulfide, 2-mercaptopropionic acid and benzothiazole, were selected. Succinylated corn and barley starches were more effective than the native starches and octenyl succinylated starches in the flavor retention. Succinylated regular starches (CRS and BRS), in particular, showed better retention ability than waxy starches. As compared to beta-cyclodextrin (betaCD, which is a widely used wall material in the microencapsulation of essential oils or flavors), the succinylated regular starches showed better flavor retention capabilities. Benzaldehyde and benzothiazole were retained to a higher extent by all starches (native and modified) as compared to dimethyl trisulfide and 2-mercaptopropionic acid. (as measured just after preparation). None of the starches (native or modified) showed substantial decreases in flavor retention during their 4-week storage at 50 degreesC. In contrast, betaCD showed a rapid decrease in flavor retention during the first 2 weeks of storage (from 88 to 49%) and the amount reached similar to45% at the end of 4 weeks. Also, the flavor retained by succinylated starches, based on extraction of volatile flavors in headspace, were higher than those of native and octenyl succinylated starches. CRS and BRS were noticeably superior to others. Findings showed that all starches investigated are potential wall materials for microencapsulation of volatile flavors with CRS and BRS being the best. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.