Faculty - Dr. Bruce R. Hamaker

General Research Areas

• Carbohydrates and health
• Starch
• Cereal chemistry

Specific Research Areas

• Manipulation of starch digestion rate for low glycemic response/slow digestion
• Dietary fiber, modifications in functionality and fermentability, microbiota changes
• Cereal starch and protein functionality
• Textural properties influenced by starch fine structure
• Interactions between starch and other food components
• Appropriate methods of improving cereal utilization in developing countries
• Cereal endosperm texture
• Electron and confocal microscopy of cereal components

Selected Publications

1. Rumpagaporn, P., Reuh, B.L., Kaur, A., Patterson, J.A., Keshavarzian, A., Hamaker, B.R. 2015. Structural features of soluble cereal arabinoxylan fibers associated with a slow rate of in vitro fermentation by human fecal microbiota. Carbohydrate Polymers 130:191-197.
2. Zhang, G., Hasek, L.Y., Lee, B-H., Hamaker, B.R. 2015. Gut feedback mechanisms and food intake: a physiological approach to slow carbohydrate bioavailability. Food & Function, 6:1072-1089.
3. Hamaker, B.R., Tuncil, Y.E. 2014. A perspective on the complexity of dietary fiber structures and their potential effect on the gut microbiota. Journal of Molecular Biology 426:3838-3850.
4. Lee, B.H., Lin, A.H.M., Nichols, B.L., Jones, K., Rose, D.R., Quezada-Calvillo, R., Hamaker, B.R. 2014. The mucosal C-terminal maltase-glucoamylase quickly digests large maltooligosaccharides that may contribute to rapid postprandial glucose generation and the high glycemic spike. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 58:1111-1121.
5. Lin, A. H-M., Nichols, B.L., Quezada-Calvillo, R., Rose, D.R., Hamaker, B.R. 2012. Starch source influences dietary glucose generation at the mucosal ?-glucosidase level. Journal of Biological Chemistry 287:36917-36921.
6. Lee, B.H., Eskandari, R., Jones, K., Reddy, R.K., Nichols, B.L., Rose, D.R., Hamaker, B.R.*, Pinto, B.M.* 2012. Modulation of starch digestion for slow glucose release through “toggling” of activities of mucosal a-glucosidases. Journal of Biological Chemistry 287:36917-36921. (* indicates co-corresponding authors)
7. Lin, A.H.M., Nichols, B.L., Ao, Z., Quezada-Calvillo, R., Avery, S.E., Sim, L., Rose, D.R., Naim, H.Y., and Hamaker, B.R. 2012. Unexpected high digestion rate of cooked starch by the ct-maltase-glucoamylase small intestinal mucosal a-glucosidase subunit. PLoS ONE 7(5): e35473. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035473.
8. Fevzioglu, M., Campanella, O.H., and Hamaker, B.R. 2010. Studies on the improvement of the elastic component of corn zein doughs. American Association of Cereal Chemists International annual meeting, Savannah, GA, October.
9. Lin, A.H.M., Nichols, B.L., Quezada-Calvillo, R., Rose, D.R., Sim, L., and Hamaker, B.R. 2010. Starches with different fine structures are digested differently at the human brush border level. Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting, Chicago, IL, July.
10. Rumpagaporn, P., Campanella, O.H., and Hamaker, B.R. 2010. Heat and pH stability of corn alkali-extractable arabinoxylan and its xylanase-hydrolyzate and their viscosity behavior. Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting, Chicago, IL, July.
11. Rose, D.J., Patterson, J.A., and Hamaker, B.R. 2010. Structural differences among alkali-soluble arabinoxylans from maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) brans influence human fecal fermentation profiles. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58:493-499.
12. Rose, D.J., Venema, K., Keshavarzian, A., and Hamaker, B.R. 2010. Starch-entrapped microspheres show a beneficial fermentation profile and decrease in potentially harmful bacteria during in vitro fermentation in fecal microbiota obtained from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. British Journal of Nutrition 103:1514-1524.
13. Zhang, G. and Hamaker, B.R. 2009. Slowly digestible starch: concept, mechanism a proposed extended glycemic index. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 49:852-867.