Comparative study of rheological properties and Pickering emulsion stabilizing capacity of nonenyl succinic anhydride and octenyl succinic anhydride modified amaranth starches

Functional properties and ability to stabilize Pickering emulsions of amaranth starch with the novel nonenyl succinic anhydride (NSA) modification and the widely used octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modification were compared. The NSA modification was more effective in altering the rheological properties of amaranth starches. NSA-modified amaranth starch showed significantly higher peak viscosity (7.13 Pa·s at DS of 0.02209) than the OSA-modified amaranth starch (6.10 Pa·s at DS of 0.03042). The gelatinization temperature, gelatinization enthalpy, and relative crystallinity of amaranth starch were more affected by the OSA than the NSA. The Pickering emulsions stabilized with NSA-modified starches had higher stability than those with the OSA-modified starches as characterized by particle size distribution, morphological, and rheological approaches. A lower degree of substitution by NSA than by OSA is needed to achieve a similar emulsification capacity. Thus, the NSA modification could be an efficient alternative to OSA modification in tailoring physicochemical and rheological functions, as well as stabilizing Pickering emulsions.