Method for Determining the Rate and Extent of Accelerated Starch Retrogradation

A method to accelerate and quantitate retrogradation of starch pastes using a freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) process and turbidometric analysis has been developed. Using this method and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), it was determined that the rate of retrogradation in 2.5% waxy maize pastes was inversely correlated to the rate of freezing, and that the thawing temperature affected perfection of the crystallites in retrograded amylopectin. DSC and X-ray diffraction were used to determine whether the crystallites formed during the FTC process were the same as those formed in starch pastes held isothermally at 4°C. Analysis of retrogradation of pastes of starches from various botanical sources indicated that the method reflects retrogradation in higher concentration pastes. Retrogradation rates were reduced by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Microstructures of freeze-thaw processed waxy maize and common corn starch pastes were examined.     

Properties of Some Starch Blends

Normal corn, high-amylose corn, waxy corn (waxy maize), wheat, rice, potato, cassava (tapioca), and a modified waxy corn starch were blended in various combinations and ratios. Pasting behavior, paste and thermal properties, and retrogradation tendency were determined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) traces of the mixtures did not resemble those of either of the two components, nor did any DSC trace have two peaks suggestive of a mixture of two distinct starches. Amylograph data suggested that some mixtures behaved like a chemically modified starch. Observations from light microscopy suggested that intermolecular, molecular-supermolecular, and intersupermolecular interactions may be responsible for this behavior.     

Morphological Changes of Granules of Different Starches by Surface Gelatinization with Calcium Chloride

Native starch granules of 11 selected cultivars (potato, waxy potato, sweet potato, normal maize, high‐amylose maize, waxy maize, wheat, normal barley, high‐amylose barley, waxy barley, and rice) were treated with a calcium chloride solution (4M) for surface gelatinization. The surface‐gelatinized starch granules were investigated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In general, those starches with larger granule sizes required longer treatment time to complete the gelatinization. The salt solution treatment of starch was monitored by light microscopy and stopped when the outer layer of the granule was gelatinized. The surface gelatinized starch granules were studied using scanning electron microscopy. On the basis of the gelatinization pattern from calcium chloride treatments, the starches could be divided into three groups: 1) starches with evenly gelatinized granule surface, such as normal potato, waxy potato, sweet potato, maize, and high‐amylose maize; 2) starches with salt gelatinization concentrated on specific sites of the granule (i.e., equatorial groove), such as wheat, barley, and high‐amylose barley; and 3) starches that, after surface gelatinization, can no longer be separated to individual granules for SEM studies, such as waxy barley, waxy maize, and normal rice. The morphology of the surface gelatinized starch resembled that of enzyme‐hydrolyzed starch granules.     

Effects of Amylopectin Branch Chain Length and Amylose Content on the Gelatinization and Pasting Properties of Starch

Structures and properties of starches isolated from different botanical sources were investigated. Apparent and absolute amylose contents of starches were determined by measuring the iodine affinity of defatted whole starch and of fractionated and purified amylopectin. Branch chain-length distributions of amylopectins were analyzed quantitatively using a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography system equipped with a postcolumn enzyme reactor and a pulsed amperometric detector. Thermal and pasting properties were measured using differential scanning calorimetry and a rapid viscoanalyzer, respectively. Absolute amylose contents of most of the starches studied were lower than their apparent amylose contents. This difference correlated with the number of very long branch chains of amylopectin. Studies of amylopectin structures showed that each starch had a distinct branch chain-length distribution profile. Average degrees of polymerization (dp) of amylopectin branch chain length ranged from 18.8 for waxy rice to 30.7 for high-amylose maize VII. Compared with X-ray A-type starches, B-type starches had longer chains. A shoulder of dp 18–21 (chain length of 6.3–7.4 nm) was found in many starches; the chain length of 6.3–7.4 nm was in the proximity of the length of the amylopectin crystalline region. Starches with short average amylopectin branch chain lengths (e.g., waxy rice and sweet rice starch), with large proportions of short branch chains (dp 11–16) relative to the shoulder of dp 18–21 (e.g., wheat and barley starch), and with high starch phosphate monoester content (e.g., potato starch) displayed low gelatinization temperatures. Amylose contents and amylopectin branch chain-length distributions predominantly affected the pasting properties of starch.     

Structure and Functionality of Barley Starches

Amylose contents of prime starches from nonwaxy and high-amylose barley, determined by colorimetric method, were 24.6 and 48.7%, respectively, whereas waxy starch contained only a trace (0.04%) of amylose. There was little difference in isoamylase-debranched amylopectin between nonwaxy and high-amylose barley, whereas amylopectin from waxy barley had a significantly higher percentage of fraction with degree of polymerization < 15 (45%). The X-ray diffraction pattern of waxy starch differed from nonwaxy and high-amylose starches. Waxy starch had sharper peaks at 0.58, 0.51, 0.49, and 0.38 nm than nonwaxy and high-amylose starches. The d-spacing at 0.44 nm, characterizing the amylose-lipids complex, was most evident for high-amylose starch and was not observed in waxy starch. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms of prime starch from nonwaxy and high-amylose barley exhibited two prominent transition peaks: the first was >60°C and corresponded to starch gelatinization; the second was >100°C and corresponded to the amylose-lipid complex. Starch from waxy barley had only one endothermic gelatinization peak of amylopectin with an enthalpy value of 16.0 J/g. The retrogradation of gelatinized starch of three types of barley stored at 4°C showed that amylopectin recrystallization rates of nonwaxy and high-amylose barley were comparable when recrystallization enthalpy was calculated based on the percentage of amylopectin. No amylopectin recrystallization peak was observed in waxy barley. Storage time had a strong influence on recrystallization of amylopectin. The enthalpy value for nonwaxy barley increased from 1.93 J/g after 24 hr of storage to 3.74 J/g after 120 hr. When gel was rescanned every 24 hr, a significant decrease in enthalpy was recorded. A highly statistically significant correlation (r = 0.991) between DSC values of retrograded starch of nonwaxy barley and gel hardness was obtained. The correlation between starch enthalpy value and gel hardness of starch concentrate indicates that gel texture is due mainly to its starch structure and functionality. The relationship between the properties of starch and starch concentrate may favor the application of barley starch concentrate without the necessity of using the wet fractionation process.     

Effects of Heat-Moisture Treatment and Lipids on Gelatinization and Retrogradation of Maize and Potato Starches

Effects of heat-moisture treatment (HMT) and lipids on the structure and gelatinization of maize and potato starches were studied, and the retrogradation process of 20% HMT starch gels was also investigated. Maize starch was physically modified by HMT or by defatting. Potato starch was physically modified by HMT or by adding monoglycerides. The X-ray pattern of the HMT maize starch was assigned to a combination of A and V patterns, which indicated that HMT formed crystallized amylose complexes and recrystallized amylose in maize starch granules. However, the X-ray pattern of defatted maize starch did not change for HMT, so the lipids originally existing in starch granules were important to the formation of new crystallites during this treatment. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results suggested that weaker structures in amylopectin crystallites were more susceptible to degradation after HMT, while crystallized amylose complexes developed thermal stability after treatment. The amylose contents increased with increasing degree of HMT, which suggested that the newly created amylose arose from exterior linear chains of amylopectin degraded by the treatment. Investigation of retrogradation process showed that HMT significantly promoted retrogradation of starch gels, especially the initiation of recrystallization.     

Starch Characteristics of Waxy and Nonwaxy Tetraploid (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) Wheats

Manufacture of pasta products is paramount for durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum). The recent development of waxy durum wheat containing starch with essentially 100% amylopectin may provide new food processing applications and present opportunities for value‐added crop production. This investigation was conducted to determine differences in some chemical and functional properties of waxy durum starch. Starch was isolated from two waxy endosperm lines and four nonwaxy cultivars of durum wheat. One of the waxy lines (WX‐1) was a full waxy durum wheat whereas the other line (WX‐0) was heterogeneous, producing both waxy and nonwaxy seed. Effects on starch swelling, solubility, pasting, gelatinization, and retrogradation were examined. The full waxy starch had four times more swelling power than the nonwaxy durum starches at 95°C, and was also more soluble at three of the four temperatures used. Starch pasting occurred earlier and peak viscosities were greater for starches from both waxy lines than for the nonwaxy starches, but their slurries were less stable with continued stirring and heating. Greater energy was required to melt gelatinized waxy starch gels, but no differences were found in either refrigerated storage or freeze‐thaw retrogradation, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The results of this investigation showed some significant differences in the starch properties of the waxy durum wheat lines compared to the nonwaxy durum wheats.     

Using Visible and Near‐Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry to Study Starch,Protein, and Temperature Effects on Bread Staling

Starch, protein, and temperature effects on bread staling were investigated using visible and near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Bread staling was mainly due to amylopectin retrogradation. NIRS measured amylopectin retrogradation accurately in different batches. Three important wavelengths, 970 nm, 1,155 nm, and 1,395 nm, were associated with amylopectin retrogradation. NIRS followed moisture and starch structure changes when amylopectin retrograded. The amylose‐lipid complex changed little from one day after baking. The capability of NIRS to measure changes in the retrograded amylose‐lipid complex was limited. Two important wavelengths, 550 nm and 1,465 nm, were key for NIRS to successfully classify the starch‐starch (SS) and starch‐protein (SP) bread based on different colors and protein contents in SS and SP. Low temperature dramatically accelerated the amylopectin retrogradation process. Protein retarded bread staling, but not as much as temperature. The starch and protein interaction was less important than the starch retrogradation. Protein hindered the bread staling process mainly by diluting starch and retarding starch retrogradation.     

Effect of Amylose Content on Gelatinization,Retrogradation, and Pasting Properties of Starches from Waxy and Nonwaxy Wheat and Their F1 Seeds

We studied the effect of amylose content on the gelatinization, retrogradation, and pasting properties of starch using wheat starches differing in amylose content. Starches were isolated from waxy and nonwaxy wheat and reciprocal F1 seeds by crossing waxy and nonwaxy wheat. Mixing waxy and nonwaxy wheat starch produced a mixed starch with the same amylose content as F1 seeds for comparison. The amylose content of F1 seeds ranged between waxy and nonwaxy wheat. Nonwaxy‐waxy wheat had a higher amylose content than waxy‐nonwaxy wheat. Endothermic enthalpy and final gelatinization temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry correlated negatively with amylose content. Gelatinization onset and peak temperature clearly differed between F1 and mixed starches with the same amylose content as F1 starches. Enthalpy for melting recrystallized starches correlated negatively with amylose content. Rapid Visco Analyser measurement showed that F1 starches had a higher peak viscosity than waxy and nonwaxy wheat starches. Mixed starches showed characteristic profiles with two low peaks. Setback and final viscosity correlated highly with amylose content. Some of gelatinization and pasting properties differed between F1 starches and mixed starches.     

Influence of storage conditions on the structure, thermal behavior, and formation of enzyme-resistant starch in extruded starches

Starch structures from an extrusion process were stored at different temperatures to allow for molecular rearrangement (retrogradation); their thermal characteristics (DSC) and resistance to amylase digestion were measured and compared. The structure of four native and processed starches containing different amylose/amylopectin compositions (3.5, 30.8, 32, and 80% amylose content, respectively) before and after digestion was studied with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Rearrangement of the amylose molecules was observed for each storage condition as measured by the DSC endotherm at around 145 degrees C. The crystalline organization of the starches after processing and storage was qualitatively different to that of the native starches. However, there was no direct correlation between the initial crystallinity and the amount of enzyme-resistant starch (ERS) measured after in vitro digestion, and only in the case of high-amylose starch did the postprocess conditioning used lead to a small increase in the amount of starch remaining after the enzymatic treatment. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that retrograded amylose is not directly correlated with ERS and alternative mechanisms must be responsible for ERS formation.     

Effect of alpha-amylases from different sources on the retrogradation and recrystallization of concentrated wheat starch gels: relationship to bread staling

Concentrated starch gels were supplemented with four alpha-amylases from different sources. The retrogradation and recrystallization of the gels were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray crystallography. Correlations between the retrogradation data and the carbohydrate fractions extracted from these gels were determined. The thermostable (TBA) and intermediate temperature stability (ISBA) bacterial alpha-amylases were most effective in decreasing the rate of retrogradation of the starch in the gels. The cereal alpha-amylase at the high level (CAH) was also effective. Supplementation with the alpha-amylases increased the crystallinity of the gels. Gels supplemented with TBA or ISBA were most crystalline and retrograded to a lesser extent. The results indicated that DSC gives not only a measure of recrystallized amylopectin but also a measure of total order (recrystallized amylopectin and double-helical content). The maltooligosaccharides produced by the enzymes did not appear to be responsible for the reduced rates of retrogradation, but they appeared to be an expression of the degree of starch modification that was responsible for the inhibition of retrogradation. The crystallinity and retrogradation data were similar to results reported for bread and strongly suggest that bread staling is caused by the retrogradation of starch. The results also indicate that alpha-amylases decrease the rate and extent of retrogradation of starch gels by inhibiting the formation of double helices.     

Retrogradation of Starches from Different Botanical Sources

Retrogradation in 2% pastes prepared from unmodified commercial starches by cooking at 98–100°C under low shear, then held at 4°C for 56 days, was examined by turbidometric analysis and light microscopy. Turbidometric analysis revealed that retrogradation rates followed the order of wheat, common corn > rice, tapioca, potato ≫ waxy maize. Microstructures of stored pastes were examined both before and after centrifugation. Granule remnant morphologies and fresh and stored paste microstructures were unique to each starch examined. Fresh pastes from amylose-containing starches were dominated by networked amylose that condensed into higher density aggregates upon storage. Unique phenomena seen in some stored pastes included interactions of granular remnants with aggregated amylose, composite networks of co-associated amylopectin and amylose, and slight birefringence regained by granule remnants. Microstructural changes in stored pastes could be related to changes in turbidity and to the results of other methods used to quantitate retrogradation.     

Effect of storage time on the retrogradation of banana starch extrudate

Starch was isolated from banana starch and the retrogradation phenomenon was studied using diverse techniques, including an enzymatic measurement. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) showed that the sample stored for 7 h presented small peaks and when the storage time increased the peaks increased in intensity. The type of diffraction pattern found in banana extrudates is typical of the A-type crystal polymorph. The crystallinity index from the diffractograms, showed a plateau after approximately 20 h of storage. The short-range order measurement with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that banana starch retrogradation reached a maximum value at approximately 11 h of storage, a value that agrees with the results obtained with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), because the maximum enthalpy value (approximately 5 J/g) was calculated in the stored sample for 8 h, without changes in the stored samples for more time. Retrograded resistant starch values did not change after 12 h of storage, obtaining the maximum starch retrogradation level. FTIR, DSC, and the enzymatic technique showed the changes at the molecular level in starch during storage; in the case of WAXS, they determine the long-range order that explains the differences found in the starch retrogradation pattern measurement in banana starch.     

Quality Characteristics of Waxy Hexaploid Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Properties of Starch Gelatinization and Retrogradation

The viscoelastic properties and molecular structure of the starch isolated from waxy (amylose-free) hexaploid wheat (WHW) (Triticum aestivum L.) were examined. WHW starch generally had lower gelatinization onset temperature, peak viscosity, and setback than the starch isolated from normal hexaploid wheat (NHW). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that WHW starch had higher transition temperatures (T_o, T_p, and T_c) and enthalpy (ΔH) than NHW starch. However, when compared on the basis of amylopectin (AP) content, ΔH of WHW starch was almost statistically identical to that of its parental varieties. Typical A-type X-ray diffraction patterns were observed for the starches of WHW and its parental varieties. Somewhat higher crystallinity was indicated for WHW starch. WHW starch was also characterized by having greater retrogradation resistance. The high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) of amylopectin showed that each amylopectin yielded two fractions after debranching. Although WHW amylopectin had somewhat long B chains, little difference was observed in the ratio of Fr.III/ Fr.II between WHW and its parental varieties.     

冻结-高压湿热解冻对多种淀粉中支链淀粉断裂的影响

冻结和高压湿热解冻是含淀粉面团在食品加工过程的必要工艺,在此过程中淀粉球破裂、部分支链淀粉断裂成为直链淀粉,给面团和食品的物理性状控制带来许多不可预见的结果。该文通过研究加热时间、加热温度、冷冻时间和解冻时间对糊化后的小麦、甘薯、马铃薯和玉米淀粉中直链淀粉含量的影响,间接反映支链淀粉断裂情况,结合冻结解冻前后淀粉分子量分布、链长分布、光学和电子显微镜图谱提出了冻结-解冻过程不同淀粉中支链淀粉可能断裂方式。结果表明,4种淀粉中的直链淀粉含量先升高后下降,直链淀粉含量在4种淀粉的中达到峰值的时间分别为48,48,48,72 h。光学显微照片观察表明,冻融处理会导致更多凝胶化淀粉球的破裂。对于小麦支链淀粉,冻融解冻过程支链淀粉中侧链长度为5、6、7个葡萄糖残基的侧链对应3种可能的断裂方式:2+2+1、2+2+2及2+2+2+1;对于甘薯支链淀粉,支链淀粉中侧链长度为10、11和13个葡萄糖残基的侧链对应3种可能的断裂方式:3+3+4、2+2+3+4及2+2+2+3+4;对于马铃薯支链淀粉,支链淀粉中侧链长度为5和6个葡萄糖残基的侧链对应3种可能的断裂方式:2+3、2+4、3+3;而玉米支链淀粉中,支链淀粉中侧链长度为7、8、9个葡萄糖残基的侧链对应3种可能的断裂方式:2+5,3+5,和3+3+3(其中1表示1个葡萄糖;2表示含2个葡萄糖的麦芽糖、3表示含3个葡萄糖的麦芽多糖、4表示含4个葡萄糖的麦芽多糖和5表示含5个葡萄糖的麦芽多糖)。该论文结果为培育具有冻融稳定性的淀粉种子提供一种全新的思路,即通过基因方法控制植物减少容易断裂淀粉侧链的合成。     

拔节期追氮对春播和秋播糯玉米淀粉胶凝和回生特性的影响

以垦粘1号、苏玉糯1号和苏玉糯5号为材料,研究了拔节期追氮量(N 01、50和300 kg/hm2)对春播和秋播糯玉米淀粉胶凝和回生特性的影响,试验于扬州大学实验农牧场进行。结果看出,播期、品种和拔节期追氮量单因素及其互作对淀粉胶凝和回生主要特征值存在显著影响。糯玉米淀粉胶凝和回生特征值在拔节期追氮150 kg/hm2时和秋播条件下较优,即原淀粉具有较低的峰值温度、较高的热焓值,回生淀粉具有较低的回生值,且以垦粘1号表现较好。糯玉米淀粉胶凝和回生特征值之间存在一定的相关性。回生值分别与回生淀粉的热焓值、原淀粉的终值温度显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.82(P0.01)和0.47(P0.05);原淀粉的热焓值与峰值指数显著正相关,相关系数为0.53(P0.05),与原淀粉峰值温度、回生淀粉的终值温度显著负相关,相关系数分别为-0.53(P0.05)和-0.52(P0.05);回生淀粉的热焓值分别与回生淀粉起始温度、终值指数显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.46(P0.05)和0.66(P0.01)。综合考虑淀粉胶凝和回生特性在不同处理下的变化趋势,以秋播糯玉米淀粉在拔节期追N 150 kg/hm2处理下较优。     

Gelatinization,Pasting, and Gelling Properties of Sweetpotato and Wheat Starch Blends

Sweetpotato starch is high yielding but has very limited uses. It is possible to expand its application by blending it with other starches to obtain novel properties. In this study, functional properties of the blends of native sweetpotato starch with native, acid‐thinned, and hydroxypropylated wheat starch were studied at different ratios (75:25, 50:50, 25:75). The swelling factor, extent of amylose leaching, pasting, and gel textural properties of the blends were nonadditive of their individual components, and could be mathematically modeled by quadratic equations in relation to the ratios. Two peaks during pasting were observed for some starch mixtures studied by Rapid ViscoAnalyser (RVA). The gelatinization and retrogradation enthalpies (ΔH) of the blends were additive of their individual components and could be modeled by linear equations. All starch mixtures exhibited two peaks during differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) scan for gelatinization, but a single peak for retrograded starches. This study may provide basis for formulation of mixtures using starch from diverse sources to develop more natural starch systems with a range of physicochemical properties.     

Thermal Decomposition of Corn Starch with Different Amylose/Amylopectin Ratios in Open and Sealed Systems

Thermal decomposition of corn starches with different amylose to amylopectin ratios (0:100 waxy, 23:77 maize, 50:50 Gelose 50, 80:20 Gelose 80) were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in an open system and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in a sealed system using stainless steel high‐pressure pans with varying water content (9–75%). The initial water content did not affect the decomposition temperature in the open system because all water evaporated from samples before reaching the decomposition temperature. The sequence of decomposition temperature of different starches is waxy > maize > G50 > G80 in an open system. The moisture content in starch remains constant during the degradation process in a sealed system. Two decomposition temperatures were observed in the sealed system: the first at lower temperature represents long chain scission and the second at higher temperature involves decomposition of the glucose ring. The sequence of the first degradation is waxy > maize > G50 > G80. There is no observable difference of the second degradation for the samples containing different amylose to amylopectin ratios. The higher the moisture content, the lower the second decomposition temperature. Decomposition of glucose was used to confirm the mechanisms proposed for the starch degradation.     

Structure and functional properties of sorghum starches differing in amylose content

Starches were isolated from grains of waxy, heterowaxy, and normal sorghum. To study the relationship between starch structure and functionality and guide applications of these starches, amylose content, amylopectin chain-length distributions, gelatinization and retrogradation, pasting properties, dynamic rheological properties, and in vitro enzyme digestion of raw starches were analyzed. Heterowaxy sorghum starch had intermediate amylose content, pasting properties, and dynamic rheological properties. Stress relaxation was a useful indicator of cooked starch cohesiveness. Cooked heterowaxy sorghum starch (10% solids) had a viscoelastic-solid type of character, whereas cooked waxy sorghum starch behaved like a viscoelastic liquid. Amylopectin of normal sorghum starch had a slightly higher proportion of chains with degree of polymerization (DP) of 6-15 (45.5%) compared with amylopectin of heterowaxy starch (44.1%), which had a gelatinization peak temperature 2 degrees C higher than normal sorghum starch. Heterowaxy sorghum starch contained significantly lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and higher resistant starch (RS) than waxy sorghum starch.     

Slowly digestible state of starch: mechanism of slow digestion property of gelatinized maize starch

The mechanism underlying the previously reported parabolic relationship between amylopectin fine structure, represented by the weight ratio of linear short chains [degree of polymerization (DP < 13) to long chains (DP >/= 13], and slowly digestible starch (SDS) content was investigated from the viewpoint of starch retrogradation and substrate susceptibility to enzyme hydrolysis. A maize mutant sample, termed "highest long-chain starch" (HLCS) representing group I samples with a higher proportion of long chains, showed a bell-shaped SDS pattern with retrogradation time, whereas insignificant changes in SDS were found for the sample termed "highest short-chain starch" (HSCS) representing group II samples with a higher proportion of short chains. This corresponded to results from X-ray powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry that showed a rapid increase of crystallinity and enthalpy for HLCS during retrogradation, but negligible changes for sample HSCS. Therefore, retrogradation was associated with SDS content for group I samples, but not for group II samples. Analysis of amylopectin fine structure, SDS content, retrogradation enthalpy, SDS material debranching profile, and hydrolysis pattern demonstrated, for group I samples, that linear branched chains of DP 9-30 of amylopectin may act as anchor points to slow the digestion of branced-chain fractions of DP > 30, which constitute the major slowly digestible portion, whereas for group II samples, it is the inherent molecular structure of amylopectin with a higher amount of branches and shorter chains that is not favorable for rapid enzyme digestion. The concept of a slowly digestible starch state (SDS state) that could be a chemical or physical entity is proposed to better describe the mechanistic underpinning of the slow digestion property of starches.