Regulation of corn starch long-term retrogradation and dough functionality by grape polyphenols and HHP treatment with potential implications for dysphagia food development

Abstract

This study investigated the synergistic effect of incorporating grape-derived polyphenols in combination with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on the long-term retrogradation of corn starch (CS) and on the structural modulation of dough functionality. CS was complexed with three distinct grape-derived polyphenol preparations, grape seed oligomeric proanthocyanidins (GSOP), grape seed polyphenols (GSP), and grape skin anthocyanins (GSA), subjected to HHP treatment, and subsequently stored for 14 days. The interaction between CS and these polyphenols promoted the formation of short-range ordered structures, reduced gel hardness, and suppressed moisture migration—collectively contributing to enhanced structural stability. These physicochemical modifications effectively inhibited long-term starch retrogradation and improved the shelf-life stability. Moreover, selected HCS-polyphenol complexes conferred swallowability-oriented rheological behavior to cookie dough, thereby offering preliminary insights into potential mechanisms for tailoring starch-based foods for dysphagia-friendly applications.