Grain Starch—from Structure to Functionalization and Physicochemical Properties
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 326
Special Issue Editors
Interests: starch chemistry; structure–function of starch; novel utilization of starch; food applications of modified starches; starch digestibility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: starch digestion; dietary fibre fermentation; starch molecular structures; starch based food processing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: health effects of functional carbohydrates; health effects of phytochemicals; key processing technologies for maintaining functional factors and improving quality of whole grains; research and development and quality standardization of food for controlling sugar and lipids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Grain starch is a complex carbohydrate found in various cereal grains such as wheat, rice, maize, and barley. It serves as a crucial source of energy for humans and is widely used in the food industry for its various functional properties. Understanding grain starch, from its molecular structure to its physicochemical properties, is essential for both the food industry and nutritional science.
1. Starch Structure:
The structure of grain starch can be divided into several layers, including molecular structure (1–10 Å), crystal structure (1–5 nm), crystal layer structure (9–10 nm), blocklet particles (20–500 nm), growth rings (100–400 nm) and granules (1–200 μm). Although there are many differences in the particle morphology, crystal structure, physical and chemical properties of starches from different plant sources, their basic composition is the same.
Molecular structure: Starch is primarily composed of two α-D glucose polymers, amylose, and amylopectin. The molecular structure of starch mainly refers to the ratio and fine structure of amylose and amylopectin. Amylose generally has no branching structure or only contains a very small amount of branching structure, and the glucose units are linked by α-1, 4 glucoside bonds, with a small amount of α-1, 6 glucoside bonds, while amylopectin is highly branched, and the main chain and side chain are connected by α-1, 4 glucoside bonds between glucose, and the side chain is connected to the main chain by α-1, 6 glucoside bonds.
2. Functionalization:
Starch Modification: Starch can be chemically or physically modified to improve its functional properties. Common modifications include heat–moisture treatments, cross-linking, esterification, etherification, α-amylase enzymolysis, debranching enzymolysis and so on. Different modification methods have different effects on the functional properties of starch, such as gelatinization and retrogradation.
Gelatinization: Heating starch in the presence of water causes it to swell and absorb water, resulting in gelatinization. This property is essential in many food processing applications.
Retrogradation: After gelatinization, starch can undergo retrogradation, where the amylose and amylopectin molecules re-associate, leading to the formation of starch gels. In addition, the formation of recrystallization may facilitate the antidigestive properties of starch.
Digestibility: As the largest source of polysaccharides in daily diets, starch consumption is the main reason for increasing blood glucose levels. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and control the digestibility of starch.
3. Physicochemical Properties:
Adsorption: Starch forms complexes with compounds by intermolecular forces. Starch complexes are important for food processing, storage, digestion and nutrient absorption of starchy foods.
Viscosity: The viscosity of starch pastes and gels is a crucial property in many food applications, influencing texture and mouthfeel.
Gelation: Starch gels are formed through gelatinization and play a role in structuring food products like puddings and sauces.
Rheological Behavior: Starch exhibits shear-thinning behavior, where its viscosity decreases with increased shear rate. This is important in applications such as baking and sauce preparation.
Retrogradation: Retrograded starch can impact the texture and quality of baked goods and other starch-containing products.
Swelling Power: The ability of starch to absorb water and swell is important in applications like soup thickening.
This Special Issue of Molecules aims to understand grain starch from its molecular structure to its functionalization and physicochemical properties, which is essential for tailoring its applications in the food and non-food industries and for optimizing its nutritional impact.
Dr. Litao Tong
Dr. Lili Wang
Dr. Ju Qiu
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- molecular structure
- starch modification
- gelatinization
- digestibility
- adsorption
- rheological behavior
- swelling power
- applications
Related Special Issue
- Production and Properties of Starch—Current Research in Molecules (13 articles)
