Changes of multi-scale structure during mimicked DSC heating reveal the nature of starch gelatinization.
A thorough understanding of starch gelatinization is extremely important for precise control of starch functional properties for food processing and human nutrition. Here we reveal the molecular mechanism of starch gelatinization by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in conjunction with a protocol using the rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA) to generate material for analysis under conditions that simulated the DSC heating profiles. The results from DSC, FTIR, Raman, X-ray diffraction and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses all showed that residual structural order remained in starch that was heated to the DSC endotherm end temperature in starch:water mixtures of 0.5 to 4:1 (v/w). We conclude from this study that the DSC endotherm of starch at a water:starch ratio of 2 to 4 (v/w) does not represent complete starch gelatinization. The DSC endotherm of starch involves not only the water uptake and swelling of amorphous regions, but also the melting of starch crystallites.
Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science &Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.|Tianjin Food Safety &Low Carbon Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Tianjin 300457, China.
Shujun
S
Wang
Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science &Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
Xiu
X
Zhang
Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science &Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.|Tianjin Food Safety &Low Carbon Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Tianjin 300457, China.
Shuo
S
Wang
Plant Breeding Institute, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Les
L
Copeland
D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D014783:Viscosity
D013213:Starch