The Effects of Adding Gellan Gum to White Rice on the Glycemic, Gastrointestinal and Appetitive Responses: A Randomised, Controlled, Crossover Study

Abstract Objectives Starchy foods are main sources of carbohydrates, and their digestibility affects the postprandial metabolic responses, which in the long term may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Addition of food hydrocolloids such as gellan gum (GG) to jasmine rice reduced its starch digestibility in-vitro. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of adding GG to jasmine rice on postprandial glycemic, gastrointestinal and appetitive responses in humans. Methods 12 healthy adults participated in a randomised, controlled, crossover study. They consumed an isoenergetic meal of jasmine rice cooked with and without 3%(weight over dry rice weight) gellan gum. Blood glucose level was measured using finger prick method. Stomach volume using (MRI) and appetite questionnaires were collected at fasting baseline and postprandially for 120 min. Results Blood glucose incremental area under the curve (iAUC) was significantly lower for gellan gum, being 160 ± 19 mmol/L.min for control rice and 92 ± 19 mmol/L.min for the rice with gellan gum, P < 0.001. the AUC for stomach meal volumes with time were moderately lower for gellan gum 30,194 ± 1077ml.min compared to control rice 32,340 ± 1831 ml.min, with the differences being not statistically significant (P = 0.3959). The AUC for composite appetite scores for gellan gun (5729 ± 493 mm.min) was lower compared to rice control (6076 ± 584mm.min), with the difference being not statistically significant (P = 0.2666) Conclusions The addition of gellan gum to jasmine rice during cooking was effective in reducing glycemic responses. This is a simple and inexpensive modification of rice cooking process. If confirmed it could provide an effective intervention to help reducing glycemic responses following white rice consumption in humans. Funding Sources This research was funded by Saudi Ministry of Education and by the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.