title: Starch granule surface imaging using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
abstract: High resolution imaging of wheat and potato starch granule surfaces has been performed using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The complimentary images of uncoated granules demonstrate that the two starch types possess substantially different surface topologies; potato starch has many protrusions (100-300 nm in diameter), above a flatter surface containing 20-50 nm structures, whilst wheat starch possesses far fewer protrusions and generally has a smoother surface composed of approximately 20 nm structures. The protrusions are believed to be carbohydrate in nature and thus represent the ends of amylopectin side-chain clusters at the granule surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nottingham University, University Park, UK.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Melia
mesh_terms: D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000737:chemistry; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014908:Triticum / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D013213:Starch