Starch

Plant cell amyloplasts (leucoplasts)

Amyloplast

Image courtesy of Beginners Guide to Molecular Biology (www.

res.bbsrc.ac.uk/molbio/guide/cell.html)
Plastids
Chloroplast
Responsible for synthesis of chlorophyll
Chromoplast
Responsible for synthesis of carotenoid
pigments (carotene, lycopene, etc.)
Amyloplast (leucoplast)
Responsible for synthesis of starch
 Leucoplasts (amyloplasts)

Image courtesy of Plants and Society, Levitin and McMahon

(www.life.umd.edu/pbio100/contact1.html)
Starch granules
Synthesized in the amyloplasts

Potato starch, normal light Potato starch, polarized light

Birefringence indicates that the granules are semi-

crystalline
Interior structure of the granules is still not well
understood
 Potato starch granules under
polarized light

Hilum --
where synthesis
of the granule
began

Image courtesy of Univ. of York, Inst. For Applied Biology

(www.york.ac.uk/org/macromol/)
Corn starch granules

Unmodified corn
starch
 Other
Corn Oat
starches
(Magnification =
1000x)

Rice
Potato

Tapioca Wheat
Amylose

Alpha-1,4

A linear polymer of D-glucose (actually it is known

to contain a few very short and widely spaced
branches)
Much lower in molecular weight than amylopectin
Amylopectin

Alpha-1,6

Highly branched polymer of D-glucose

Much higher molecular weight than amylose

 Amylopectin

Note highly branched

Reducing end structure
Amylose/amylopectin ratio
Generally, about one part amylose to
every three parts of amylopectin for
normal grain sources
Waxy varieties contain 0% amylose
and 100% amylopectin
Used in non-gelling starch applications,
starch-thickened frozen products, and many
modified starches
Amylose/amylopectin ratio
High amylose varieties
60-85% amylose, the rest is amylopectin
Useful as binders and film formers
Starch granule composition

Normalstarch Waxystarch
AP:A~3:1 100%AP

Highamylosestarch~6085%A
Starch degrading enzymes
Beta amylase--an exo enzyme
Maltose Maltose Maltose

Beta-amylase
Limit dextrin
AP phosphorylase

D-glucose
glucoamylase
Starch degrading enzymes
Endo enzymes
Attack interior of the molecule
May attack AP on either side of a branch
point
Example: alpha-amylase
Debranching enzymes

Alpha 1,6 branch point

Amylopectin
R enzyme (malted barley)
Pullulanase
Isoamylase (yeast)
Gelatinization
Swelling and disorganization of starch
granules heated in water
Measures of gelatinization
Swelling of granules
Increased viscosity
Increased translucency
Increased solubility
Disappearance of birefringent granules on
heating
 Gelatinization temperature
o
Starch Range ( C)
Potato 56-66
Corn 62-72
Sorghum 68.5-75
Wheat 52-63

Gelatinization temperature range is characteristic for

each type of starch, that is for each botanical source.
 Starch gelatinization

Heat and water

Raw
starch

Amylo-
+
pectin

Swollen starch Amylose

Also see www2.hawaii.edu/lynn/main.html

Gelatinization micrographs

Unmodified corn Corn starch, 65 C

starch
Images courtesy of www2.unl.ac.uk/~hx14marshar/
cho.htm#Starch gelatinisation
Gelatinization micrographs

Corn starch, 70 C Corn starch, 85 C

Images courtesy of www2.unl.ac.uk/~hx14marshar/

cho.htm#Starch gelatinisation
Starch gelation

swollen
collapsed amylose
Junction zone cool

water

water water

Starch gel
Starch gelation
Amylose is the glue that holds the gel
together
Therefore, waxy starches do not gel
They form thick, cooked pastes and are
frequently the starting material in the
production of modified food starches
Starch retrogradation

Junction zones;
not too large
Starch over-retrogradation
(uglification)

Large junction zones

Gelatinization, gelation and
uglification
Starch Gelatinization and
Pasting, Gelation, and
Uglification

Go to Slide Show mode and click to begin

RapidViscoAnalyzer
 Ideal RVA graphs
Cooled paste
stability
Peak
viscosity

Breakdown Setback
Viscosity

Time/temperature
 RVA graphs of different starches
(idealized)

Corn

Cross-linked

Viscosity
Waxy corn

Time/temperature
RVA of grain starches
RVA of tuber starches
RVA of cross-linked starches
Factors affecting gelatinization,
retrogradation, and gel formation
Sugar
Competes for water and plasticizes junction
zones; decreases gelatinization and gel
strength
Acid
Hydrolysis of acid sensitive glycosidic
linkages produces smaller pieces of starch
molecules; decreases gel strength
Factors affecting gelatinization,
retrogradation, and gel formation

Stirring/shearing/pumping
Collapses swollen granules; this decreases
gel formation and gel strength
Modified starches
Waxy
All amylopectin, no amylose
Pregelatinized
Cold water dispersible (instant puddings)
Modified starches
Acid modified (thin boiling)
Limited hydrolysis of starch
Decreases maximum viscosity
Gives excellent cooled gel strength, e.g. gum
drop texture
Modified starches
Cross-linked
Restricts granule swelling
Limits maximum viscosity
Makes granules much less fragile
Derivatized
Ethers or esters
Used to prevent or control syneresis. Good
for freeze-thaw stability