In-depth insight into the effects of tapioca or corn acetylated distarch phosphate on the gel properties and in vitro digestibility of kung-wan.

Modified starch is increasingly applied in the meat industry as an effective functional ingredient to provide meat products with the desired textural properties and appearance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of incorporating tapioca acetylated distarch phosphate (TADSP) or corn acetylated distarch phosphate (CADSP) on the gel properties and in vitro digestibility of Chinese-style meatballs known as kung-wan. The results showed that TADSP and CADSP significantly enhanced the textural properties of kung-wan in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), as well as enhanced the rheological behavior of meat batters. TADSP resulted in a denser meat protein gel network compared to CADSP, primarily because the lower pasting temperature of TADSP made it gelatinize earlier and more completely during heating than CADSP and subsequently filled in the meat protein gel network. The intermolecular forces observed in kung-wan with TADSP or CADSP were hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, the protein digestibility of kung-wan was increased with higher levels of TADSP and CADSP (P < 0.05). Notably, kung-wan with TADSP exhibited significantly higher protein digestibility than those with CADSP at the same level (P < 0.05). Our results offer valuable insights into the potential application of acetylated distarch phosphate in kung-wan.