Insight on the changes of cassava and potato starch granules during gelatinization

Abstract Gelatinization is an important property of starch for biomedical applications. However, studies on the changes in starch granules in terms of morphology, swelling, amylose leaching and so on during gelatinization, which are key to uncovering the starch gelatinization process, have rarely been reported. Herein, changes of cassava and potato starch granules during gelatinization were investigated. It was found that there is a substantial difference in the granule changes during gelatinization between cassava and potato starch. Cassava starch granules remain intact with slight swelling, with approximately 8.5% amylose leaching in water for 30 min at 60 °C. In sharp contrast, potato starch granules swell very well and rapidly, losing much integrity with 51.05% amylose leaching. The gelatinization time and temperature have much greater effects on the changes of potato starch granules than cassava starch granules.