Effects of single-frequency ultrasonic modification on starch structure and digestive properties: A comprehensive meta-analysis and acoustic simulation

This study employed meta-analysis (25 studies, 121 data points) combined with acoustic simulation to investigate the effects of ultrasound on resistant starch (RS) formation under varying conditions, including starch sources, crystal types, frequency, power, duration, temperature, and concentration. Meta-subgroup analyses revealed significant RS increases in fruit (MD = 5.731) and cereal (MD = 1.579) starches. RS content increased in type A and B starches (<i>p</i> > 0.05), in contrast to the significant reductions observed in legume (MD = -6.528) and type C starches (MD = -5.909) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Meta-regression indicated that higher frequency and power, along with lower duration, temperature, and concentration, positively affected RS content. Acoustical simulation shows that starch suspensions at 40 kHz, 25 °C, and 10 % <i>w</i>/<i>v</i> have the lowest sound pressure (9.33 Pa). These findings provide valuable insights into the potential application of ultrasonically modified starch in low-glycemic food industry.