Insight into Multi-Scale Structure and Digestibility of Sugar Palm (Arenga pinnata) Starch Subjected to High Speed Jet Treatment

Processing has a great influence on starch digestibility and increasing attention has been paid to the application of emerging environmentally friendly starch modification technology. Hierarchical structure and digestibility of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) starch (APS) following high speed jet (HSJ) treatment are investigated. HSJ treatment (at 200 MPa for different processing cycles) significantly increases the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content and decreases the slowly digestible starch and resistant starch content and significantly decreases the molecular weight of amylopectin and destroys granular structures with increasing treatment passes. The number of double helices is also reduced. The structural changes alter the digestibility of uncooked APS and transform the slowly digestible and/or resistant starch to the rapidly digestible form.