Gellan gum (GG) is a food grade polysaccharide produced by fermentation. In-vitro studies and in vivo pilot studies suggest that adding gellan gum to rice during cooking might reduce the extent of the increase in circulating blood glucose seen after its consumption (glycaemic response). This study will explore whether such a modification in response is sustained, particularly over a period of 7 days of consumption.
BACKGROUND: Rice is a carbohydrate-rich staple source of food for around half of the world population. Consumption is estimated to be 480 million tonnes per year. According to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), rice is easily accessible to people in Asia, Pacific region, parts of Latin America and the Caribbean and, increasingly in Africa. Rice plays an important role in achieving an adequate dietary intake in these countries. However high consumption of white rice has been linked with high obesity rates and increased risk for type 2 diabetes . However, it is still the favoured type of rice among consumers, contributing to the observed increasing trends in diet-related diseases in countries with high rice consumption . Modifying the properties of white rice products (e.g. reducing the glycaemic index and/or increasing satiety) with relatively simple interventions can contribute to producing foods that may promote better health due to modified digestion and post prandial metabolic and appetitive profiles. One way to reduce the glycaemic index of white rice may be the addition of hydrocolloids. These have previously been shown to modify the digestibility of foods . The health advantage derived from such modifications would be beneficial for consumers worldwide. Preliminary in-house in vitro digestion data suggested that the addition of gellan gum to rice cooking may reduce digestibility rates though mechanisms yet to be understood. Gellan gum (GG) "is a high molecular weight, water-soluble anionic, extracellular polysaccharide which is produced by the microorganism Sphingomonas elodea during fermentation". GG is commonly used as a gelling agent in foods. Gels formed by gellan gum have high resistance to acid, heat, and enzyme activity. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of GG as a food additive for the human consumption (US.FDA, 2018). It is also approved by the European Community as a food additive with code (E-418). Gellan Gum is gluten free and broadly applied in gluten free foods to provide improved texture and good taste to pasta, biscuits, candy and dairy products. Therefore, it has been proved safe in the amounts the investigators intend to use, it is also suitable for people diagnosed with Coeliac disease as well as suitable for vegetarians, kosher and Halal diets, which make it acceptable for consumption and dietary intervention across different populations. AIM: The overall purpose of this study is to explore the impact of cooking rice with gellan on the glycaemic and appetitive responses in healthy participants. Both the acute response to one meal will be considered, and the impact on the acute response having consumed the rice once a day over the preceding 7 days. Tolerance will also be considered. HYPOTHESIS: This work will test the hypothesis that the addition of gellan gum to jasmine rice during cooking will reduce the post prandial glycaemic response. The investigators will also explore associated food intake, appetitive responses and tolerance during both the acute single meal exposure and over a 7 day period of consuming the same portion of rice each day, therefore testing the stability of the glycaemic and appetitive responses after a 7 day period of consumption. Establishing that any acute effect noted is sustained over a period of consumption will be important prior to recommending the addition of gellan to rice cooking as a therapeutic or public health strategy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
8
185 g Jasmine (white) rice boiled in 356 g water
Food grade hydrocolloid polysaccharide 5.5g dissolved in 356g cooking water containing 185g rice
University of Nottingham
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Profile of post prandial 2 hour circulating blood glucose curve
Fingerprick blood glucose profile for 2 hours post consumption of test rice samples.
Time frame: Over 2 hours post consumption
Profile of post prandial 3.5 hour circulating blood glucose curve
Fingerprick blood glucose profile for 3.5 hours post consumption of test rice samples rs
Time frame: Over 3.5 hours post consumption
Time to Peak of blood glucose
Fingerprick blood glucose time to peak
Time frame: Time period (during the 3.5 hour study period) until peak occurs in hours
Peak blood glucose
Fingerprick blood glucose peak value
Time frame: During the 3.5 hour period of the study.
Appetite scores post prandial up to 3.5 hours up to 3.5 hours
Curve of Visual Analogue Scores up to 3.5 hours postprandially
Time frame: Over 3.5 hours
Gastrointestinal tolerance scores up to 3.5 hours
Symptom scores up to 3.5 hours postprandially
Time frame: Over 3.5 hours
Total amount of energy consumed on the first day
Food intake measured from food diaries
Time frame: Over 24 hours
Explorative correlations
Explorative correlations between Fingerprick blood glucose area under the curve for 2 hours and 3.5 hours and respectively Area under the curve of appetite Visual Analogue Scores up to 2 hours and 3.5 hours postprandially
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Time frame: Over 2 hours and over 3.5 hours
Daily appetite scores measured using visual analogue scales
Appetite score recorded twice daily morning and evening for 7 days using 100mm visual analogue scales with a minimum value of 0mm and maximum value of 100mm.
Time frame: Daily for 7 days
Gastrointestinal tolerance visual analogue scores questionnaire
Symptom scores measured daily over 7 days using 100mm visual analogue scales with 0mm as as the minimum and 100mm as the maximum.
Time frame: Daily for 7 days
Gastrointestinal tolerance categorical questionnaire
Symptom scores measured daily over 7 days using categorial scores with 0 as as the minimum and 3 as the maximum.
Time frame: Daily for 7 days
Daily total amount of energy consumed
Food intake measured from food diaries daily for 7 days
Time frame: Daily for 7 days