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Gamma Irradiation of Starch

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Physical Modifications of Starch

Abstract

As a physical treatment, gamma irradiation has many advantages, such as high efficiency, low-cost, eco-friendship, and no remarkable rise in temperature during the treatment process. The degradation changes of starch by radiation are reproducible and quantitative, without needing special appliances to control temperature and environment. The effects of irradiation on starch have attracted much more attention in the last decade. Gamma radiation may generate free radicals which can contribute to molecular changes and fragmentation of starch. Starch depolymerization leads to progressive reduction in molecular size of amylose and amylopectin by random cleavage of the glycosidic chains, and consequently changes the structural and physicochemical characteristics of starch. Visible or significant changes on starch granules upon irradiation were not found; however, some researchers found that Maltese cross became unclear and fissures or cracks developed on starch granules. To date, all researchers found that the C-type starches showed decrease in amylose content upon gamma irradiation, and most researchers reported that gamma irradiation treatment decreased amylose content in A-type starches but increased amylose content in B-type starches. The X-ray diffraction pattern of starches remained unchanged after gamma irradiation, but the relative crystallinity decreased upon irradiation in most cases; however, some A-type starches exhibited increase in relative crystallinity at low-dose irradiation and then decreased at higher doses. The Fourier transform-infrared spectral pattern of irradiated starch was not altered; however, most intensities increased indicating decreases in the ordered structure of starch upon irradiation. Gelatinization temperatures and enthalpy of gelatinization of A-type starches decreased upon irradiation in most cases. With regard to the B-type starches, the gelatinization parameters showed increase at lower dosage but decreased with irradiation dose increasing in some cases. For C-type starches, the gelatinization parameters were observed to increase by most researchers. The swelling power was observed to decrease under gamma irradiation treatment in most cases, water solubility index of irradiated starches increased with irradiation dosage elevated in all reports, and the syneresis of gels formed with irradiated treated starches decreased. Most pasting and rheological parameters of irradiated starches decreased continuously with irradiation dosage increasing. Gamma irradiation can be employed to elevate the resistant starch fraction, whereas some researchers observed that irradiation treatment could decrease resistant starch content. Radiation processing can promote cross-linking in the starch matrix under oxygen. Graft copolymerization of chemicals onto starch by a simultaneous irradiation technique can also be achieved to produce biodegradable film or superabsorbent hydrogel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Xiangli Kong

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China

    Zhongquan Sui

  2. Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

    Xiangli Kong

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Kong, X. (2018). Gamma Irradiation of Starch. In: Sui, Z., Kong, X. (eds) Physical Modifications of Starch. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0725-6_5

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