The Effect of Solutes on the Gelatinization Temperature Range of Potato Starch

Abstract The gelatinization behaviour of potato starch in an excess of water or solutions of sugars, other organic hydroxy compounds, or various inorganic salts was studied. The distribution of water and solutes between the external phase and the starch granules was measured by refractometry and a dye exclusion technique. When the limited water uptake of native starch granules is taken into account, the cooperative nature of gelatinization and the effect of water content on gelatinization behaviour can be explained solely on the basis of the Flory theory of polymer melting. Following the same argument, the effect of many solutes can be approximately described by the derived relationship between initial gelatinization temperature, water activity of the system and volume fraction of water in the granules.