Influence of moisture content on the degradation of waxy and normal corn starches acid-treated in methanol

Waxy and normal corn starches with different moisture contents, 5.1–16.9% and 4.8–15.9%, respectively, were prepared and treated in methanol containing 0.36% HCl at 45 °C for 1 h. Recovery of all the treated starches was found to be above 90%. Peak viscosity, gelatinization temperature and enthalpy change of gelatinization of waxy and normal corn starches decreased after treatment and this decrement was found to be more in treated starches having lower initial moisture content. The weight-average degree of polymerization and chain length (CL) of waxy and normal corn starches decreased upon acid–methanol treatment. The decrement ratio of molecular weight of modified starches was found to be negatively correlated with the initial moisture content of the starches. The decrement ratio of normal corn starch was higher than waxy corn starch with similar moisture content of starch. The content and CL of long chain fraction of amylopectin for waxy corn starch slightly decreased after treatment, while no obvious trend was found among starches with different moisture contents. CL of amylose for acid–methanol-treated normal corn starch decreased and this change was found to be higher in starches with lower initial moisture contents. Results demonstrated that the initial moisture content of starch granules strongly influenced the functional properties and degradation of starch treated by acid in methanol.