2018/06/01 by Jiai Yan, Jianxue Hu, Ruijin Yang +1
paper · doi:10.1111/ijfs.13832
Summary Dietary fibre ( DF ) has been used for enhancing health benefits for centuries. In this study, an innovative nanofibrillated cellulose ( NFC ) was obtained by the combined application of high‐density steam flash‐explosion and enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo leaves. The NFC prepared in this study was characterised by long, well‐defined and distinct NFC fibres, exhibiting excellent functional properties (water retention capacity: 20 g water g −1 , swelling capacity: 97 mL g −1 , oil‐holding capacity: 13 g oil g −1 , and higher adsorption of bile acids and cholesterol). Octenyl succinic anhydride ( OSA ) was further successfully grafted onto the NFC to improve its hydrophobicity. Thus, the oil‐holding capacity of the NFC reached 18.5 g oil g −1 and the adsorption of bile acids and cholesterol increased twofold. A gastrointestinal digestion experiment further showed that the nanofibrillated and hydrophobic grafted dietary fibre represented a high‐quality dietary supplement providing enhanced health benefits, highlighted by the strong ability to absorb oil. These results indicate that the OSA ‐ NFC has a great potential for use as a functional ingredient in food products.