In-depth study of the changes in properties and molecular structure of cassava starch during resistant dextrin preparation

Physical, chemical and thermal properties, as well as molecular structure of cassava-based resistant dextrins prepared under different dextrinization conditions (0.04-0.10% HCl, 100-120 °C, 60-180 min) were determined. Increasing acid concentration, temperature and heating time resulted in the products with darker color, higher solubility, reducing sugar content, total dietary fiber and proportion of high molecular weight fiber fraction. An endothermic peak at 45-70 °C, having enthalpy of 1.66-2.14 J/g, was found from the samples processed under mild conditions (0.04-0.08% HCl, 100 °C, 60 min). However, harsher dextrinization conditions eliminated this endotherm. Dextrinization led to 1000-fold decrease in weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the products, comparing to the native starch. Stronger processing conditions yielded the resistant dextrins with slightly higher Mw but composing of shorter branched chains. During dextrinization, hydrolysis was a predominant step, while transglucosidation and repolymerization played key roles in modifying molecular structure and properties, especially dietary fiber content, of resistant dextrins.