Starch

Abstract

Starch is the major source of carbohydrates in the human diet. It occurs in most plants in granules, which are usually between 1 and 100µm in diameter, depending on the plant source. Starch is the major component in cereals, comprising 60%-75% of the grain weight. Besides its nutritive value, starch is a valuable component because it affects the physical properties of foods. Different starches have characteristic features, varying in molecular structure, morphological properties, crystallinity, gelatinization and pasting, and enzyme digestibility. In recent years, modified starches and enzyme-resistant starches have also gained importance because of their functional benefits in foods. In addition, starch is an important industrial raw material in products like syrups, ethanol, textiles, and paper. This chapter explains the molecular structure of starch, its physical, physicochemical, and functional properties, as well as modified and resistant starches, focusing on the starches in cereal grains.