Composition and Properties of Commercial Native Starches

The physico-chemical properties of starches depend upon the botanical source from which they are isolated. Important differences between potato, maize, wheat, tapioca and waxy maize starch are reviewed. Special attention is given to production and applications; to composition and properties of the starch granules; to amylose and amylopectin; to gelatinization characteristics; and to the properties of starch pastes and starch films.     

Structural,thermal and viscoelastic characteristics of starches separated from normal,sugary and waxy maize

Starches separated from five types of maize (two normal, one sugary and two waxy) were investigated for physicochemical, thermal, amylopectin structure and viscoelastic properties. Kisan and Paras were normal maize while Parbhat and LM-6 were waxy maize type. Apparent amylose content of normal and sugary maize was 29.5–32.6 and 41.0%, respectively. Swelling power of normal, sugary and waxy maize starches was 11.6–15.2, 7.8 and 30.2–39.2 (g/g), respectively. X-ray diffraction of maize starches indicated typical A-pattern. Maize starch showed a single broad peak at 2θ=23.2° and a dual peak 2θ=17°–18.1, respectively. Waxy maize starches showed the presence of greater crystallinity than other starches while sugary maize starch showed the presence of lower crystallinity and a large amount of amylose–lipid complex. Intrinsic viscosity [η] of starches in 90% DMSO at 25 °C was 79.7–119.5 ml g⁻¹ for normal, 70.5 ml g⁻¹ for sugary and 107.2–118.1 ml g⁻¹ for waxy starches. Branch chain–length distribution of amylopectin revealed that the apparent amylose, long side chain- and short side chain-amylopectin proportion ranged between 0.0–41%, 13.4–31.5% and 41.5–66.8%, respectively, among the various maize starches. Maize sugary showed the highest apparent amylose content and the least amount of short- and long-side chains of amylopectin. LM-6 and Parbhat showed higher proportion of both long- and short-chain amylopectin as compared to other starches. Distribution of α-1, 4-chains of amylopectin (short-/long-chain) ranged between 2.1 and 3.4, the least for LM-6 and the highest for Paras starch. The transition temperatures (T_o–T_c) ranged between 60.5 and 76.1 °C for sugary, 63.5–76.3 °C for normal and 64.4–81.3 °C for waxy maize starch. The enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH_gel) of sugary, normal and waxy maize starches was 2.47, 3.7–4.75 and 4.15–5.4 J/g, respectively. Normal and sugary maize starches showed higher G′ and G″ than waxy type starches. The change in the moduli during cooling and reheating of pastes cooked at different temperatures revealed low disintegration of granular structure in starch with higher amylose and amylose–lipid complex as well as low crystallinity. The changes in moduli during 10 h at 10 °C revealed highest retrogradation in maize sugary followed by Paras and Kisan starch.     

Gel texture and chain structure of amylomaltase-modified starches compared to gelatin

Amylomaltase (AM) (4-α-d-glucanotransferase; E.C. 2.4.1.25) from Thermus thermophilus was used to modify starches from various botanical sources including potato, high amylose potato (HAP), maize, waxy maize, wheat and pea, as well as a chemical oxidized potato starch (Gelamyl 120). Amylopectin chain length distribution, textural properties of gels and molecular weight of 51 enzyme and 7 non-enzyme-modified starches (parent samples) were analyzed. Textural data were compared with the textural properties of gelatin gels. Modifying starch with AM caused broadening of the amylopectin chain length distribution, creating a unimodal distribution. The increase in longer chains was supposedly a combined effect of amylose to amylopectin chain transfer and transfer of cluster units within the amylopectin molecules.Exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) data analysis revealed that the data were composed of two components explaining 94.2% of the total variation. Parent starches formed a cluster separated from that of the AM-modified starches.Extended AM treatments reduced the apparent molecular weight and the gel texture without changing the amylopectin chain length distribution. However, the gel texture was typically increased as compared to the parent starch. AM-modified HAP gels were about twice as hard as gelatin gels at identical concentration, whereas gels of pea starch were comparable to gelatin gels. Modifying Gelamyl 120 and waxy maize with AM did not change the textural properties. Branching enzyme (BE) (1,4-α-d-glucan branching enzyme; EC 2.4.1.18) from Rhodothermus obamensis was used in just one modification and in combination with AM. The combined AM/BE modification of pea starch resulted in starches with shorter amylopectin chains and pastes unable to form gel network even at concentration as high as 12.0% (w/w). The PCA model of all gel texture data gave suggestive evidence for starch structural features being important for generating a gelatin-like texture.     

Composition,morphology, molecular structure,and physicochemical properties of starches from newly released chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars grown in Canada

Starch from four cultivars (CDC Xena, CDC Flip 97-133C, CDC 418-59, CDC ICC 12512-9) of chickpea (cicer arietinum L.) grown in Saskatchewan, Canada was isolated and variability in composition, morphology, molecular structure and physicochemical properties was evaluated. The yield of starch was in the range 32.0–36.8% on a whole seed basis. The starch granules were oval to spherical with smooth surfaces. The granule size distribution ranged from 5 to 35 μm. The free lipid, bound lipid, total amylose and the amount of amylose complexed with native starch lipids ranged from 0.04% to 0.08%, 0.21% to 0.46%, 33.9% to 40.2% and 9.1% to 15.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in branch chain length distribution of amylopectin among the starches. The X-ray pattern was of the C-type. The relative crystallinity was in the range 31.3–34.4%. Swelling factor and amylose leaching in the temperature range 50–90 °C ranged from 1.6% to 25.9% and 8.61% to 36.1%, respectively. All four starches exhibited nearly identical gelatinization temperatures. However, the enthalpy of gelatinization was in the range 11.2–13.1 J/g, respectively. The starches differed significantly with respect to peak viscosity (3223–4174 cp), breakdown viscosity (394–1308 cp) and set-back (3110–4281 cp). Starches were hydrolyzed by acid to nearly the same extent. The amount of rapidly digestible, slowly digestible and resistant starch contents ranged from 10.9% to 15.7%, 48.5% to 60.2% and 24.1% to 40.6%, respectively.     

Influence of hydroxypropylation on retrogradation properties of native,defatted and heat-moisture treated potato starches

Recent studies have shown that defatting and heat-moisture treatment cause structural changes within the amorphous and crystalline regions of potato starch. Furthermore, the alkaline reagents (NaOH and Na₂SO₄) used during hydroxypropylation has been shown to cause structural changes within the amorphous and crystalline regions of native, defatted and heat-moisture treated starches. In this study, we have compared (using different techniques) the retrogradation properties of potato starch before and after physical (defatting and heat-moisture treatment), and chemical (alkaline treatment and hydroxypropylation) modification. Turbidity measurements showed that changes in turbidity during storage (4°C for 24 h and then at 40°C for 29 days) of native, defatted and heat-moisture treated gelatinized starch pastes were influenced by the interplay of two factors: (1) interaction between leached starch components (amylose–amylose, amylose–amylopectin, amylose–amylopectin), and (2) interaction between granule remnants and leached amylose and amylopectin. In alkali treated gelatinized native, defatted and heat-moisture treated starch pastes, turbidity changes on storage was influenced by aggregation of granule remnants. Hydroxypropylation decreased the rate and extent of increase in turbidity during storage of native, defatted and heat-moisture treated starches. The change in turbidity during storage of hydroxypropylated starch pastes was influenced by the interplay between: (1) steric effects imposed by hydroxypropyl groups on chain aggregation, (2) aggregation between small granule remnants, and (3) settling of large granule remnants beneath the path of the spectrophotometer beam. Stored gelatinized pastes of native, defatted and heat-moisture treated starches gave a `B' type X-ray pattern. A similar pattern was also observed after alkaline treatment, and hydroxypropylation. However, the X-ray intensity of the strong reflection at 5.2 Å decreased after alkaline treatment and hydroxypropylation. The retrogradation endotherm (monitored by differential scanning calorimetry) occurred after 2 days storage in native, defatted and heat-moisture treated starches. A similar trend was also observed after alkaline treatment. However, the retrogradation endotherm appeared only after 7 days in hydroxypropylated starches. The enthalpy of retrogradation in all starches decreased on alkaline treatment and hydroxypropylation.     

In vitro digestibility,structural and functional properties of starch from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) cultivars grown in India

Starches isolated from two pigeon pea cultivars (AL-15 and AL-201) were evaluated for their in vitro digestibility, structural and functional properties. Both the cultivars exhibited a characteristic C-type diffraction pattern with relative crystallinity values of 31.9% and 34.2%, for AL-15 and AL-201, respectively. The structural characterization obtained using high performance size exclusion column chromatography revealed that molecular weight of amylopectin and amylose was higher for AL-201 (396 and 3.92 × 10⁶ g/mol, respectively) in comparison to AL-15 starch (354 and 3.31 × 10⁶ g/mol, respectively). AL-201 exhibited higher values for transition temperatures, enthalpy of gelatinization, pasting temperature and percentage retrogradation in comparison to AL-15 starch. Slowly digestible starch, readily digestible starch and resistant starch contents of AL-15 and AL-201 cultivars were observed to be 31.0, 8.1 and 60.9% and 29.6, 5.2 and 65.2%, respectively. The hydrolysis index and RS values indicated that pigeon pea starches were highly resistant to digestion.     

Effect of single and dual hydrothermal treatments on the crystalline structure,thermal properties,and nutritional fractions of pea,lentil, and navy bean starches

Pea, lentil and navy bean starches were annealed at 50 °C (70% moisture) for 24 h and heat-moisture treated at 120 °C (30% moisture) for 24 h. These starches were also modified by a combination of annealing (ANN) and heat-moisture treatment (HMT). The impact of single and dual modifications (ANN–HMT and HMT–ANN) on the crystalline structure, thermal properties, and the amounts of rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and resistant starch (RS) were investigated. Birefringence remained unchanged on ANN but decreased on HMT. Granular swelling and amylose leaching decreased on ANN and HMT. Relative crystallinity, gelatinization enthalpy, and short-range order on the granule surface increased on ANN but decreased on HMT. Gelatinization transition temperatures increased on ANN and HMT. Gelatinization temperature range decreased and increased on ANN and HMT, respectively. ANN and HMT increased SDS and decreased RS levels in all starches. However, RDS levels increased on ANN and HMT in pea and lentil starches but decreased in navy bean starch. In gelatinized starches, ANN and HMT decreased RDS level and increased SDS and RS levels. Changes to crystalline structure, thermal properties and amounts of RDS, SDS, and RS were modified further on ANN–HMT and HMT–ANN.     

Effect of dry heating with ionic gums on physicochemical properties of starch

Corn starch, potato starch, pea starch were impregnated with ionic gums (sodium alginate, CMC, and xanthan, 1% based on starch solids) and heat-treated in a dry state for 0, 2, or 4 h at 130 °C. Effects of the dry heating on paste viscosity (RVA), microstructure and thermal properties were examined. Dry heat treatment with ionic gums reduced the pasting temperature of the three starches. Heating with xanthan increased the paste viscosity of corn and potato starch. With heat treatment, the paste viscosity of all the starch-sodium alginate mixtures decreased. Heating with CMC increased the paste viscosity of potato starch, but decreased that of corn and pea starch. After dry-heating, To, Tp and Tc of potato starch with ionic gums decreased significantly. SEM of potato starch with CMC showed that the gel structure got compacter after drying-heating. Heat treatment obviously improved the functional properties of the three starches.     

Functional Properties and Retrogradation of Heat‐Moisture Treated Wheat and Potato Starches in the Presence of Hydroxypropyl β‐cyclodextrin

Some functional and retrogradation properties of native and heat‐moisture treated potato and wheat starches were examined in the presence of hydroxypropyl β‐cyclodextrin (HPβ‐CD). HPβ‐CD increased swelling factor, amylose leaching, and solubility of both native and heat‐moisture treated wheat starches but it had less impact on corresponding potato starches. Gelatinization enthalpy of native wheat starch was decreased in the presence of HPβ‐CD but was increased in potato starch with increasing concentration. Reduction of amylose‐lipid complex endotherm in both native and heat‐moisture treated wheat starch was observed in the presence of HPβ‐CD. Heat‐moisture treatment did not change the transition parameters of amylose‐lipid complex showing its resistance to hydrothermal treatment. HPβ‐CD greatly decreased the pasting temperature of wheat starch. Cold paste viscosity of both native and heat‐moisture treated wheat starch was increased by HPβ‐CD to a greater extent than corresponding potato starch. Amylopectin retrogradation of all the starches was unaffected in the presence of HPβ‐CD but heat‐moisture treatment slightly decreased retrogradation of potato starch. These results suggest that HPβ‐CD can disrupt the amylose‐lipid complex within the starch granule in both native and heat‐moisture treated wheat starch but has no influence on amylopectin retrogradation. However, greatly increased wheat starch setback with HPβ‐CD indicates its greater effect on wheat starch amylose retrogradation.     

6种不同种类直支链淀粉相互混合对其回生的影响

目的 研究6种不同种类直支链淀粉相互混合对其回生的影响。方法 将玉米淀粉、甘薯淀粉、木薯淀粉、马铃薯淀粉、糯米淀粉、小麦淀粉等6种不同种类直支链淀粉分离出来, 然后两两混合, 研究不同直支链混合对其回生率的影响。 结果 马铃薯支链淀粉与甘薯支链淀粉以2:8(m:m)混合回生率最低, 为60.0%, 玉米支链淀粉与木薯支链淀粉以8:2(m:m)混合回生率最低为52.6%, 小麦支链淀粉与糯米支链淀粉以8:2(m:m)混合回生率最低为51.2%, 甘薯支链淀粉与小麦支链淀粉以1:1(m:m)混合回生率最低为53.7%。木薯支链淀粉与小麦直链淀粉以1:1(m:m)混合时所得淀粉回生率最大, 达到了92.0%, 混合淀粉回生后X射线晶型为B型。结论 不同种类直支链淀粉混合对其回生率影响很大, 食品加工中尽量不要混合使用木薯支链淀粉与小麦直链淀粉。     

Influence of Water on Molecular and Morphological Structure of Various Starches and Starch Derivatives

In this study the influence of water on untreated, pregelatinised, and chemical modified starches was investigated. Because of their different botanical source, the starch products contain various quantities of amylose and amylopectin. The water vapour absorption capacity of the starches was studied by sorption/desorption and thermogravimetrical measurements. Higher absorption capacities were found for potato starch and for starches containing carboxymethyl and hydroxyethyl groups. Characteristic molecular differences found by Raman spectroscopy were evaluated for untreated and modified starches. To this end, the starch raw materials were classified into groups with similar pretreatments and properties based on cluster analysis. Additionally, the gelatinisation of starch‐water mixtures (gels, powders, and films) was continuously studied using temperature‐dependent Raman spectroscopy. In comparison with powder spectra, the Raman spectra of the starch films showed shifts in band positions in the range of the CH deformation and CH stretching modes. With the exceptions of high‐amylose maize starch and carboxymethylated starch, all starches form films. Starch films differ in their surface structures, water contact angles, and rates of water drop absorption, which might be caused by the different retrogradation properties. The swelling and shrinking behaviour of starch films was investigated at the morphological level by in situ environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) experiments and evaluated by grey value analysis. Films of untreated starch show stronger swelling and shrinking than films of pregelatinised products.     

Chemical,Functional and Pasting Properties of Defatted Starches from Cowpea and Soybean and Application in Stiff Porridge Preparation

The effects of defatting on the chemical, functional and pasting properties of starches from cowpea and soybean and their application in stiff porridge preparation were studied. Conventional cassava starch served as standard. Defatting of cowpea and soybean resulted in higher yield. Defatted starches also had higher amylose contents with low protein, fat and ash contents than full fat starches. In addition, defatted starches from cowpea and soybean had higher water absorption capacity, swelling power, blue value index and low bulk density, higher peak viscosity, trough, final viscosity, setback values than full fat cowpea and soybean starches while cassava starch had higher peak time and pasting temperature than the legume starches. The full fat starches from soybean and cowpea had high breakdown and low setback values than the defatted samples and control. The extensibility values of defatted starches were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than full fat starches but lower than control. There was no significant (p ≥ 0.05) difference in texture and appearance of stiff porridges prepared from cowpea, soybean and cassava starches. Similarly, there was no significant (p ≥ 0.05) difference in mouldability, stickiness and overall acceptability between defatted starches and control but significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) with the full fat starches. It is therefore concluded that consumption of such stiff porridges could be beneficial to individuals requiring decreased and/or slow starch digestibility such as diabetic patients and long distance athletes since legume starches are known to have low starch digestibility.     

Structures and Physicochemical Properties of Acid‐Thinned Corn,Potato and Rice Starches

The structures and physicochemical properties of acid‐thinned corn, potato, and rice starches were investigated. Corn, potato, and rice starches were hydrolyzed with 0.14 N hydrochloric acid at 50 °C until reaching a target pasting peak of 200—300 Brabender Units (BU) at 10% solids in the Brabender Visco Amylograph. After acid modification the amylose content decreased slightly and all starches retained their native crystallinity pattern. Acid primarily attacked the amorphous regions within the starch granule and both amylose and amylopectin were hydrolyzed simultaneously by acid. Acid modification decreased the longer chain fraction and increased the shorter chain fraction of corn and rice starches but increased the longer chain fraction and decreased the shorter chain fraction of potato starch, as measured by high‐performance size‐exclusion chromatography. Acid‐thinned potato starches produced much firmer gels than did acid‐thinned corn and rice starches, possibly due to potato starch's relatively higher percentage of long branch chains (degree of polymerization 13—24) in amylopectin. The short‐term development of gel structure by acid‐thinned starches was dependent on amylose content, whereas the long‐term gel strength appeared dependend on the long branch chains in amylopectin.     

Effect of annealing on the structure and physicochemical properties of barley starches of varying amylose content

Starch from normal (CDC McGwire, SR 93102), waxy (CDC Fibar, HB 364), and High amylose (SB 94897, SB 94893) hull-less barley cultivars was isolated and its structure, morphology, and properties were studied before and after one-step annealing (50 °C for 72 h at a moisture content of 75%). The amylopectin structure of all starches was nearly identical. The X-ray pattern of CDC Fibar, HB 364, and CDC McGwire starches was of the ‘A’-type. Whereas, SR 93102, SB 94897, and SB 94893 starches exhibited a mixed ‘A + B’-type pattern. The relative crystallinity (RC), swelling factor (SF), amylose leaching (AML), gelatinization temperature range (GTR), enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH), amylose–lipid complex melting temperature (Tp_CX) and the enthalpy of melting of the amylose–lipid complex (ΔH_CX) ranged from, 37.0% to 44.3%, 41.0–54.2% (at 90 °C), 4.0–31.0% (at 90 °C), 11.4–22.5 °C, 6.0–13.0 J/g, 84.9–89.1 °C and 0.4–1.8 J/g, respectively. The RC of CDC Fibar, HB 364, SR 93102 and CDC McGwire starches increased on annealing. Whereas, it remained unchanged in SB 94897 and SB 94893 starches. The ‘A’-type X-ray pattern of CDC Fibar, HB 364, and CDC McGwire starches remained unchanged on annealing. However, the ‘A + B’-type X-ray pattern of SR 93102, SB 94897 and SB 94893 starches resembled more closely the ‘A’-type pattern on annealing. In all starches, the X-ray intensity of the V-amylose–lipid complex peak increased on annealing. Annealing increased the gelatinization transition temperatures and decreased the GTR in all starches. The ΔH of SB 94893 starch increased on annealing, whereas it remained unchanged in the other starches. Tp_CX of SR 93102 and SB 94897 remained unchanged on annealing, whereas Tp_CX of CDC McGwire increased slightly. ΔH_CX of native and annealed CDC McGwire, SR 93102 and SB 94897 were similar. Tp_CX and ΔH_CX were not detectable in annealed SB 94893 starch. In all starches, SF decreased on annealing. Annealing decreased AML in SR 93102, SB 94897 and SB 94893 starches in the temperature range of 50–90 °C, but increased AML in HB 364 and CDC McGwire starches at higher temperatures. The effect of annealing on acid hydrolysis was marginal.     

Modification of granular corn starch with 4-alpha-glucanotransferase from Thermotoga maritima: effects on structural and physical properties

ABSTRACT:  Corn starch was converted using α-1,4-glucanotransferase from Thermotoga maritima (TmαGT), a hyperthermophilic bacterium, without inducing gelatinization, and the structural changes and physical properties of the modified starches were investigated. Enzyme modification was induced at 65 °C for 8, 16, or 24 h, and the morphology of the modified starches was observed with light and scanning electron microscopy. Granule integrity was mostly maintained after enzyme treatment, although some granules were partially fragmented as evidenced by enlarged surface pores and some cracks. The modified starches had lower apparent amylose levels than raw starch. The molecular weights of amylose and amylopectin molecules in the treated starches were lower than those of raw starch, and the amount of branched molecules, which had much lower molecular weights, also increased in the treated starches. The chain-length distribution of amylopectin showed an increased number of shorter branched chains. The modified starches showed a wider melting temperature range and a lower melting enthalpy than that of raw starch. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the modified starches showed typical A-type starch peaks, but the relative crystallinities were lower than that of raw starch. The solubility and paste clarity of the modified starches were much higher than those of raw starch. The modified starch gels maintained their rigidity over the whole frequency range tested and showed thermoreversibility between 4 and 75 °C. These results suggest that TmαGT can be used to produce granular corn starch, which contains amylose and amylopectin having lower molecular weights and a thermoreversible gelation property.     

Formation and stability of amylose ligand complexes formed by high pressure treatment

Starch can be gelatinized during high pressure processing in the presence of water, but to a greater or lesser extent. Starch gelatinization is often accompanied by the formation of amylose complexes, in particular when a thermal treatment is used. Four different starches were considered in this study: potato, broad bean (Vicia faba), pea and tapioca. A comparison between high pressure-induced starch gelatinization (HPG) and conventional thermal gelatinization (TG) was made. In the case of broad bean starch, selected complexing molecules were considered for both thermal and high pressure treatments. Cross polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) ¹³C NMR, X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis were used to monitor physico-chemical changes in the structure and microstructure of starch preparations. Decanoic acid and carvacrol were selected as complexing agents to track the formation of amylose ligand complexes. It was observed that B-type starch (potato) was more resistant to pressure than the A-type starches (tapioca, broad bean and pea) considered in this study. The results showed that amylose ligand complexes were formed during high pressure treatment (20 min at 500 MPa at temperatures of 20 °C and 40 °C). Decanoic acid induced the complexing of amylose in the V_6I type whatever the treatment used. On the other hand, the complexation of carvacrol appeared to depend on the temperature used during the high pressure treatment. It is assumed that carvacrol forms amorphous complexes with amylose during high pressure treatment. The amylose complexes were characterized by ¹³C CP/MAS NMR confirming the results obtained by X-ray analysis.Industrial relevanceDevelopment of innovative assembly of amylose + molecules of interest (i.e. antioxidant) using a mild processing (40 °C) instead of 90 °C. At 90 °C, some molecules are damaged or oxidized.The use of high pressure permits the production of larger amount of compounds than using conventional thermal treatment. The main reason is that there is no need to solubilise the molecule of interest.     

Thermostabile Bindung von Aromastoffen an Stärke Teil 1: Bindung durch Gefriertrocknen

Thermostable Binding of Aroma Compounds to Starch. Part 1: Binding by Freeze-Drying. By freeze-drying of aqueous emulsions or suspensions of menthol, pyrazine, thymol, vanillin or peppermint oil and solutions of native or modified starches, amylose, amylopectin Or β-cyclodextrin sorbates were prepared. After heating to 180°C the aroma compounds were bound thermostable and in most cases also stable during extrusion. In general the adsorbed amounts decreased in the order cyclodextrin, amylose, potato starch, waxy maize starch, maize or tapioca starch, wheat starch, amylopectin. Some modified maize starches adsorbed greater amounts than native maize starch. Menthol and thymol were better bound to high-amylose starches, vanillin and pyrazine better to high-amylopectin starches, but vanillin best to cyclodextrin and pyrazine to maltodextrin (DE 4–5). The desorption of the aroma compounds during chewing in the mouth was limited after formation of channel inclusion compounds with amylose.     

Enthalpy–entropy compensation in sorption phenomena of starch materials

The enthalpy–entropy compensation theory was applied to the experimental moisture adsorption and desorption isotherm data (water activity (a_w) range 0.006–0.982) of raw potato, potato starch gel, potato starch powder, highly amylopectin corn starch powder and highly amylose corn starch powder in the temperature range 30–60 °C. A linear relation existed between differential enthalpy (ΔH) and differential entropy (ΔS) for all the experimental data considered, thus satisfying the enthalpy–entropy compensation theory. Further analysis of the data indicated an enthalpy-controlled (isokinetic temperature (T_β) > harmonic mean temperature (T_hm)) and spontaneous (−ΔG) sorption process.     

Physicochemical properties of waxy and normal corn starches treated in different anhydrous alcohols with hydrochloric acid

Corn starches (25 g, d. b.) were treated in anhydrous methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol or 1-butanol (100 ml) with 1 ml 36% hydrochloric acid at 45 °C for 1 h, the molecular weight and chain length distributions of starch were examined by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), and the granule size, granular structure, λ_max, blue value, solubility and gelatinization thermal properties of starch were also examined. Results showed the recovery yields of the treated starch were higher than 96%, and the granule sizes of treated starches were slightly lower than their counterpart native starch. Starches after acid-alcohol treated showed internal fissures or cavities in some granules, and the number of granule with fissures or cavities increased with the increasing carbon number of alcohol. The weight average degree of polymerization and relative content of F1 fraction of starch after treated profoundly decreased, and the amylose and long chain of amylopectin of starch were preferentially degraded. The degradation extent of molecules after acid-alcohol treatment was found directly related to the alternation of internal structure of starch granule. The λ_max and blue value of both waxy and normal corn starches after treated also obviously decreased with the increasing carbon number of alcohol, while the solubility of starch profoundly increased after treated. The gelatinization onset temperature (T_o) of acid-alcohol treated waxy corn starch decreased with the increasing carbon number of alcohol, but the treated normal corn starches showed similar T_o values. Despite the alcohol used, the solubility of treated waxy corn starch linearly correlated (r²=0.983) with T/T_o value (T was the measuring temperature used for solubility determination). Whereas, normal corn starch treated in different alcohols showed distinct relations between T/T_o and solubility.     

Amylopectin structure of heat–moisture treated starches

The effects of heat–moisture treatment (HMT; moisture content of 25%, at 100°C for 24 h) on starch chain distribution and unit chain distribution of amylopectin in normal rice, waxy rice, normal corn, waxy corn, normal potato, and waxy potato starches were investigated. After HMT, starch chain distribution (amylose and amylopectin responses) of waxy corn and potato starches were identical to those of untreated starches, whereas the chromatographic response of waxy rice starch showed a slight decrease, but with a slight increase in peak tailing. This result indicated that HMT had no (or very limited) effect on the degradation of amylopectins. Analysis of unit chain distribution of amylopectins revealed that waxy characteristics affected the molecular structure of amylopectin in untreated starches, i.e., the CL of normal‐type starches was greater than that of waxy‐type starches. After HMT, the CL and unit chain distribution of all starches were no different than those of untreated starches. The results implied that changes in the physico‐chemical properties of HMT starches would be due to other phenomena rather than the degradation of amylopectin molecular structure. However, the thermal degradation of amylopectin molecules of waxy starches could occur by HMT at higher treatment temperatures (120 and 140°C).