Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on structures, properties of starch, and quality of cationic starch

Background and objectives The chemical activity of starch granules is inert. The purpose of this study was to reveal the mechanism of producing high-quality modified starch by advanced equipment. Findings There were pores and central cavities with loose structure in mung bean starch granules, so water could enter the starch granules through the pores under high hydrostatic pressure treatment. The starch molecules could be hydrated, and starch granules could even be gelatinized. The reaction efficiency (RE) of cationic starch increased to 32.20% and the other qualities (solubility, swelling degree, and viscosities) were significantly improved after 100 MPa treatment. The RE and other qualities of cationic starch changed differently after 200 and 400-600 MPa treatments. Conclusions High hydrostatic pressure could produce significant mechanochemical effect on starch granules, so the structures and properties of mung bean starch were changed markedly, and the quality of cationic starch was improved. Significance and novelty: The mechanism of producing high- quality modified starch by advanced equipment was revealed using mechanochemical theory, which could lay a theoretical foundation for the manufacture of high- performance modified starch industrial equipment in the future.