A better understanding of the hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in vulnerable aquifers is important for the protection of water resources. To assess groundwater chemistry, groundwater sampling was performed from different representative aquifers in 2012–2013. A Piper trilinear diagram showed that the groundwater types can be classified into Na–SO4 and Na–Cl types. Only one groundwater samp

Tropical roots and tubers (TRT) are important staple foods in the tropics. TRT are produced by small farmers and have received only limited attention. The objective of this paper was to evaluate nutritionally important carbohydrate fractions and proximal composition of cooked cassava (Manihot esculenta), cocoyam - or tannia- (Xantosoma sp) and yam (Dioscorea alata) grown in Costa Rica. Twenty boil

Common commercial beans were cooked using two procedures: under pressure (autoclaving) and traditional cooking. Total starch extraction was higher in beans cooked with the traditional procedure (41.69-42.81%) than in the autoclaved samples (37.04-38.16%) and did not change during storage at 4°C. However, available and total resistant starch levels in vitro were not influenced by the cooking proced

Seeds from two commercial bean varieties were cooked and stored for different times and analysed for chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility. Parallel portions of cooked seeds were dried at 55°C, milled and stored as flours. In general, protein and ash contents in both samples did not change with storage time, but statistical differences were shown between the two varieties (p < 0.0

Starch-modifying processes, such as pyrodextrinization, are potential ways to alter the nutritional features of this polysaccharide. A widely used method for pyrodextrinizing maize starch was also applied to lentil, sorghum, cocoyam, sagu, and cassava starches, and the in vitro digestibility of the products was evaluated. Pyrodextrins were produced by heating starch at 140°C for 3 h, with catalyti

Nixtamal, masa, and tortilla samples were stored for 24-96 hr and their chemical composition, retrogradation, and in vitro starch digestibility features were evaluated. Ash and fat contents in the three products were smaller than in the original corn sample, but protein levels were higher, all in accordance with previous studies. In general, a minor decrease in available starch (AS) content was ob

Commercial bean products were studied in terms of chemical composition and starch digestibility. In general, commercial cooked flours did not show differences in protein and ash contents. Canned beans also did not show statistical differences (α=0.05) in protein, but they were different in ash, perhaps due to botanical variety. Lipid content varied in the different flours, due to the formulation u

The retrograded resistant starch contents (RS-III) and syneresis indices of cold stored starch gels were compared. Isolated starches from three cereals (maize, sorghum and rice), two legumes (jack bean and lentil) and arracacha roots (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) were hydrated and gelatinized by boiling. Drained gels were stored for 24 h at 4°C before the analyses. Neither apparent amylose contents nor

Starch was isolated from Peruvian carrot (PC) -or arracacha- (Arraccacia xanthorrhiza B.) roots. Its chemical, physical, physicochemical and granular structural properties were compared to those of commercial cassava starch. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a granular size for PC starch ranging between 4 and 26 μm in diameter, with spherical and truncated-egg shapes. PC and cassava starches w

Starch is an important ingredient of many processed foods. The natural versatility of this polymer has been greatly expanded through physical and chemical modification processes, leading to new food applications. However, the alteration of starch functional properties may also affect its digestibility features, promoting changes that range from increased digestion rate to reduced overall enzymic a

The starch content of black beans and cowpeas was assessed enzymatically in freshly cooked as well as in cooked, stored, and reheated samples. The available starch contents of the variously treated seeds were greater in cowpeas (32-33%, dmb) than in black beans (25-28%, dmb). All samples exhibited relatively high levels of retrograded resistant starch (RS) (8-20%, total starch basis), although bea

Starch was isolated from either raw or steam-heated black, red, and lima beans. Isolates from steam-heated legumes were rich in indigestible (resistant) starch (19-31%, dmb), a fact not observed when raw seeds were used. Similarly, resistant starch measured directly in conventionally and high-pressure steamed beans was 3-5 times higher than in the raw pulses, suggesting retrogradation as the major

Despite their important contribution to seed weight, carbohydrates in pulses have received limited attention. However, experimental evidence accumulated during the last two decades indicate that legumes are rich sources of slowly digestible starch promoting moderate postprandial glycernic and insulinemic responses. Although the reasons for this phenomenon are not completely understood, some intrin

Legume seeds were treated in various ways, e.g. cooking applied either before or after milling, in order to obtain flours with different microstructural properties. In vitro protein digestibility was assessed by a pepsin/pancreatin index. In all cases digestibility was enhanced by cooking, although final values varied depending on the flour preparation procedure. Cooked and milled seeds, which ret

Carbohydrate foods differ considerably in their effects on postprandial glucose and insulin responses. Qualitative differences among starchy foods are particularly intriguing because of the dominance of starch in human diets. This paper focuses on food properties in cereal (eg, pasta, bread, Arepas, and porridge) and legume products (eg, red kidney beans and lentils) that affect metabolic response