Controlling starch digestibility and glycaemic response in maize-based foods

As one of the most consumed cereal crops worldwide, maize has been extensively studied. However, to date, many of the effects of maize-based food consumption are still inconclusive. A few years ago, maize products were considered foods with high glycaemic load and therefore avoided by health-conscious consumers or people with chronic diseases. Later, the presence of beneficial ingredients such as polyphenols and slowly digestible and resistant starch on maize-based products was reported. Nonetheless, maize-based products are starch-rich foods, and their role in the development of obesity and related diseases cannot be denied. Currently, the production of starchy foods with a low glycaemic index is a priority of the modern food industry. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art starch digestibility in maize-based foods, how to control starch digestibility and the glycaemic response of those products, which is due to processing, storage, ingredients and arrangement of the macromolecules in the food matrix.