Shelf-life, nutritional and sensory quality of cereal and herb based low glycaemic index foods for managing diabetes.

In this study, barley or wheat and herb (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, and
Emblica officinalis) based low-GI
foods were developed to manage diabetes. The nutritional,
sensory quality, glycaemic value, α-amylase
and α-glucosidase
inhibition
were examined in vitro for products stored at accelerated (38°C, 90% RH) and ambient
(27°C, 65% RH) conditions for 3 and 6 months, respectively. Results showed
minimal change in GI of barley (47–49)
and wheat (49–52)
based products during
storage at both conditions. No significant loss in dietary fiber, total polyphenol, flavonoid
content was noted. The products were microbiologically safe and acceptable
for 5 months under ambient condition. The α-amylase
and α-glucosidase
inhibition
value (IC50 mg/ml) for barley (5.5 ± 0.4, 6.3 ± 0.5) and wheat (10.3 ± 0.6, 7.6 ± 0.3)
products after storage at ambient condition explains the inhibition of glycolytic enzymes.
To conclude, the low-GI
products are shelf-stable
for 5 months without altering
functional properties and hence desirable for diabetic subjects.
Novelty impact statement: In recent years, low-GI
foods with natural ingredients are
essential in managing diabetes rather than synthetic analogs. In the present research,
we developed cereal and herb based low-GI
functional foods that were stable, acceptable,
and safe for consumption to overcome hyperglycemia since they inhibit
glycolytic enzymes.