METHODOLOGIES FOR THE STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF STARCH

Abstract

Starch, a carbohydrate used as a reserve of energy in most plants, is widely used in the food industry, either as a main component or as a thickener. Considering the application of this as an ingredient in the food industry, the study of the morphological and thermal properties of this food is of great importance because it can predict its behavior during and after the processing of this. Methodologies such as scanning electron microscopy, light scattering and optical microscopy are the most used tools in the morphological characterization of the starch granule generating accurate results and good quality. Regarding the methodologies for the study of thermal properties, the rapid amylographic analyzer and the differential scanning calorimetry are the most used. The set of results obtained with these methodologies, allows to know the technological properties of the starch, characterizing them, and even to identify the origin of this one.