Cross-linking of corn starch with phosphorus oxychloride under ultra high pressure

To investigate the effect of UHP treatment on the cross-linking reaction, normal corn starch was subjected to UHP-assisted reaction with a single addition level of POCl3, at varied pressure levels ranging from 0.1 to 400 MPa. Swelling power, gelatinization, and pasting properties were assessed for all native and cross-linked starches. UHP-assisted reaction achieved a 12.5% level of conventional reaction time. UHP-assisted POCl3 starch derivatives, reacted at 100–400 MPa, exhibited reduced swelling powers and gelatinization properties relative to that at 0.1 MPa, though both attributes did not possess any tendency depending on pressure levels. UHP-assisted POCl3 reaction generated pasting viscosity profiles similar to those observed for conventional cross-linked starches. Pasting viscosity profiles were significantly different among various UHP treatments, though no trends were present. At 400 MPa, the UHP-assisted POCl3 starch derivative revealed pasting viscosity profiles most similar to those of the conventional POCl3 starch derivative.