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Effect of pressure with shear stress on the gelatinization of cornstarch with different amylose/amylopectin ratios (waxy 0/100; maze 23/77; G50 50/50; G80 80/20) was systematically investigated using a high-pressure rheometer. Onset and peak temperature of starch gelatinization as well as the peak viscosity were used to discuss the influence of pressure together with shear stress on the gelatinization of starch granules. The results showed that without shear stress, pressure could resist the gelatinization process due to weak swelling of starch granules and lower quantity of amylose released. However, the shear stress can simply counteract the influence of the pressure since its impact is much high on gelatinization. Under certain pressure and shear stress, both onset and peak temperatures of gelatinization were increased with increasing amylose content, which is in correspondence with the results from differential scanning calorimeter measurement, while the overall viscosity was lower when starches with a higher amylose content was used because part of its granular was not fully dissolved during the measurement. SAXS measurements were used to study the gel structure and stability of starch suspensions. It was found that the scattering intensity of starches in the measured range (0.1–1.0 nm −1 ) is G80 > waxy, indicating the amount of ordered semi-crystalline structures in amylose is higher. Peak values, q = 0.4 nm −1 and q = 0.2 nm −1 , detected for waxy starch under different shear rates, indicates that higher shear stress which plays a dominant role compared with pressure, resulted in more degradation in amylopectin, inhibiting the formation of aggregate structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel resources of very small granular starch are of great interests to food scientists. We previously found Chlorella sp. MBFJNU-17 contained small granular starch but whether the MBFJNU-17 was a novel resource of very small granular starch remained unresolved. This study isolated and characterized the starch from MBFJNU-17 in comparison with quinoa starch (a typical very small granular starch), and discussed whether the MBFJNU-17 could be a resource of very small granular starch. Results showed that chlorella starch displayed a smaller size (1024 nm) than quinoa starch did (1107 nm), suggesting MBFJNU-17 was a good resource of very small granular starch. Additionally, chlorella starch had less amylose, higher proportion of long amylopectin branches, more ordered structures, thinner amorphous lamellae, better paste thermostability, and slower enzymatic digestion than quinoa starch did. These findings indicated that Chlorella sp. MBFJNU-17 was a novel resource of very small granular starch with desirable thermostability and nutritional attributes. • Starch from microalgae rather than plants-based sources was obtained. • Very small granular starch from chlorella was isolated and characterized. • Chlorella starch had a smaller size (1024 nm) than that of quinoa starch (1107 nm). • Chlorella starch had more ordered structures than quinoa starch did. • Chlorella starch had a high thermostability and a relatively low digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the use of a one-step process of reactive melt mixing to prepare starch-based superabsorbent polymers (SBSAPs) for the slow release of urea as a fertilizer. A modified twin-rotor mixer, with improved sealing to establish an oxygen-free environment, was used to study the chemical and physical reactions during the melt-processing through monitoring the temperature and torque. The effects of the initiator (ceric ammonium nitrate, or CAN), crosslinker ( N , N ′-methylene-bisacrylamide, or N , N ′-MBA) and saponification agent (NaOH) under different reaction conditions (time, temperature, and shear intensity) were systematically studied. Also investigated was the effect of starch with different amylose content. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that using this simple technique, SBSAPs were successfully prepared from either high-amylopectin starch (waxy corn starch) or high-amylose starch (Gelose 50) grafted with AM and crosslinked by N , N ′-MBA. Gel strength was evaluated by rheometry, which revealed a significant increase in storage modulus ( G ′) obtained in the crosslinked high-amylose SBSAP gels. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a more sophisticated structural network with a smaller pore size in the crosslinked high-amylose gels. Urea as a fertilizer was embedded in the SBSAP gel network, and this network controlled the urea release in water. The release rate of urea depended on the gel strength, gel microstructure and water absorption capacity (WAC) of SAP, which was affected by the reaction conditions and degree of saponification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]