Comparative studies on morphological and crystalline properties of B-type and C-type starches by acid hydrolysis

Comparative studies on acid hydrolysis of B-type Fritillaria starch and C-type Rhizoma Dioscorea and Radix Puerariae starches were carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fritillaria, Rhizoma Dioscorea and Radix Puerariae starches were hydrolyzed with 2.2 mol/L at 35 °C for 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days, respectively. The SEM and XRD results revealed that B-type starch and C-type starch displayed different hydrolysis mechanisms. The acid corrosion started from the exterior surface of B-type starch granules followed by the interior core of starch granules. However, the hydrogen ion primarily attacked the interior of the C-type starch granules and then the exterior of starch granules. B-type starch granule started to crack at the hydrolysis period of 4 days while C-type starch granule was not cracked until the hydrolysis progressed up to 16 days. The crystalline type of B-type starch was not changed with increasing hydrolysis time. However, the crystalline type was gradually changed from C-type to A-type for the Rhizoma Dioscorea and Radix Puerariae starches with increase in the hydrolysis time. This result showed that the B-type polymorphs present in the C-type starch granule was preferentially hydrolyzed during the first stage of hydrolysis.