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[Display omitted] • Partial gelatinization and freeze-thawing significantly modified the properties of waxy maize starch. • The addition of xanthan gum enhanced these effects of physical treatments. • Treatments affected inner structure and chain arrangement of starch. • Treatments improved the pasting properties and produced a short and cohesive paste. • Treatments increased the gelling ability and stability to freeze-thawing cycles. To improve the pasting and gelling behaviors of waxy maize starch, an aqueous dispersion with or without xanthan gum was subjected to partial gelatinization (5 ℃ above the onset melting temperature of starch) and freeze-thawing treatment. After the treatments, starch granules were slightly deformed, with partial loss of birefringence, and tended to aggregate. The relative crystallinity and thermal stability of waxy maize starch crystals decreased by the treatments. These changes indicated that the treatment affected the inner structure and chain arrangement of the granules. The treated waxy maize starches, however, showed a higher overall pasting viscosity with shorter and more cohesive pastes than that of the native starch. The treated starches formed rigid gels with increased stability against freeze-thawing. The addition of small amounts of xanthan gum enhanced the effects of the treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]