To elucidate the pretreatment of a heat moisture treatment that could increase the DS and hydrophobicity of OSA starch, the effect of the moisture level of the HMT process on the physicochemical properties was investigated. The higher moisture content (MC) in the HMT process led to a decreasing degree of crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy and also produced surface damage and cracking of the granules. HMT pretreatment with the right moisture content resulted in OSA starch with the maximum DS value and reaction efficiency. Pre-treatment HMT at 25% MC (HMT-25) followed by OSA esterification exhibited the highest DS value (0.0086) and reaction efficiency (35.86%). H25-OSA starch has been shown to have good water resistance (OAC 1.03%, WVP 4.92 × 10⁻⁵ g/s m Pa, water contact angle 88.43°), and conversely, has a high cold water solubility (8.44%). Based on FTIR, there were two new peaks at 1729 and 1568 cm⁻¹ of the HMT-OSA starch, which proved that the hydroxyl group of the HMT starch molecule had been substituted with the carbonyl and carboxyl ester groups of OSA.

In this study, cassava starch was modified using physical modification by ultrasonication. Ultrasonication, known as one of the advanced oxidation methods, is environmentally friendly. Modified starches using ultrasonication are still relatively lacking. This research aims to evaluate the stage of oxidation through carbonyl and carboxyl contents, amylose content, and physicochemical characteristics (swelling power, solubility, paste viscosity, brightness) of ultrasonicated starch. Ultrasonication was carried out in combination amplitude (60% and 80%) and process duration (10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes) consisting of eight combinations. The results showed that ultrasonication did not significantly affect the degree of oxidation. Ultrasonication has more effect on starch depolymerization, mainly on amylose content, solubility, and paste viscosity. Considering the issue of environmentally friendly modification that continues to be campaigned for, ultrasonication can be the method of choice for obtaining starch with the characteristics as needed.

Indonesia has a lot of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and usually discarded as agricultural waste. The major component of this oil palm EFB is cellulose, which is useful for food industry in the form of cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC). This paper reported about a method to prepare HPC from oil palm EFB as cellulose source. Oil palm EFB was dried, cut and milled to obtain EFB powder passed from 60 mesh screen. Cellulose in the EFB powder was extracted using 4% NaOH at 100ºC for 3.5 h, and then bleached using 5% NaOCl at 30ºC for 3 h. HPC was synthesized from cellulose using NaOH at 5-25% at 25ºC for 1 h, then propylene oxide (PO) at 0.6-1.4 mL per g cellulose was added to the slurry and the temperature was adjusted to 55ºC for 3 h. HPC from EFB cellulose had more less characters than its commercial especially in purity level. Alkalization using 10% NaOH and its etherification using 1.4% (v/w) PO gave HPC with the highest molar substitution (MS), viscosity, purity and crystallinity i.e. 0.1049; 76.88 cps; 76.91% and 24.39%, respectively.

Generation Z, as the primary consumers in society, plays a crucial role in determining the sustainability of global food security. Despite being known as environmentally-conscious innovators, the gap between their attitudes and behaviors towards food wastage has adverse severe impacts. High levels of food waste are associated with a decrease in the amount of food available, increasing the risk of hunger and negatively impacting food security. This study analyzed 150 Generation Z participants to understand the diversity of socio-demographic characteristics and food consumption patterns. Through a holistic analysis, this study aims to identify factors such as attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral control that underlie Generation Z's food wastage behavior, and explore their relationship with sustainable levels of food security. The research method used was a mixed method, which was analyzed using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The results showed that food waste behavior among Generation Z, through attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral control contributes 26% to food security, with attitudes having the most significant influence. These findings highlight the importance of increasing awareness and fostering positive attitudes towards sustainable food management as key factors in strengthening food security. Therefore, policies focusing on developing positive attitudes among Generation Z are essential to reducing food wastage and supporting sustainable food security.

Fitri Electrika Dewi Surawan, Eni Harmayani, Nurliyani, and Djagal Wiseso Marseno. Prev Nutr Food Sci 2024;29:365-75. https://doi.org/10.3746/pnf.2024.29.3.365

Chemical reagents used for starch oxidation induces chemical waste problems and potentially leaves undesirable residues in the product. Ozone-oxidation is one of the advanced oxidation process (AOP) methods and the latest rapid oxidation process which is safe for food products so that ozone is considered to be a good alternative for oxidation. This work aimed to evaluate the changes of physicochemical properties of oxidized cassava starch under different concentrations of slurry and dissolved ozone. The physicochemical of cassava starch oxidized by dissolved ozone (0.8, 1.4, and 2.0 ppm) with different concentrations of slurry (1:6 and 1:10) were investigated. Ozone and concentration of slurry significantly affected the physicochemical properties of modified cassava starch. Carbonyl and carboxyl contents, swelling power, and solubility increased as ozone concentration increased up to 1.4 ppm. The ozone-oxidation significantly increased amylose content and paste clarity and decreased paste viscosity. Ozone concentration 1.4 ppm with a concentration of slurry 1:10 seemed to be the most favourable condition for the oxidation process.