The Influence of Yeast Inoculated on the Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Starch during Ganmianpi Fermentation

Ganmianpi is a traditional snack in China that has traditionally been produced through natural fermentation of wheat starch slurry. However, natural fermentation occurs spontaneously and lacks control, thereby an alternative yeast-inoculated fermentation method is proposed for the industrialization of Ganmianpi production. This study aims to investigate the impact of yeast-inoculated fermentation on the structural and physicochemical properties of wheat starch and elucidate the underlying mechanism. The findings reveal that yeast fermentation significantly affects the properties of wheat starch, varying with the fermentation time. Yeast-inoculated fermentation leads to surface erosion of the starch granules and a significant reduction in amylose content, double helicity, gelatinization enthalpy, and relative crystallinity of wheat starch. Specially, yeast-inoculated fermentation alters starch chain proportions, with a decrease in chain A and an increase in chains B-1, B-2, and B-3. Ganmianpi produced from wheat starch exhibits decreased hardness, springiness, and chewiness, and sensory evaluation suggests an optimal fermentation time of 18 h for Ganmianpi production. Overall, this study provides valuable theoretical support for the industrial production of Ganmianpi and promotes the standardized production of fermented starch-based foods.