Some Studies on Starch Gelation

Abstract

Abstract The mechanical behaviour of starch gels at small static deformations was investigated. In the concentration range 6 ‐ 30% w/w starch gels behave as Hookean solids with a linear dependence between shear modulus and concentration. At a fixed concentration the shear modulus of starch gel increases in the order potato <maize <pea. The starch gel was considered to be a composite in which swollen gelatinized starch granules reinforce an interpenetrating amylose gel matrix. The factors which influence the mechanical behaviour of this composite are discussed.