Skip to main content
  • 1227 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter presents a brief overview of key discoveries that led to our current knowledge of starch. Due to the variability of natural starch, and the significance of this biopolymer to humans in foods and industrial applications, much attention has been given to gaining an understanding of its structure and functional properties. Early uses for starch are considered, as are developments in the growth of the starch industries, and how the molecular structure of starch was revealed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hardy K, Brand Miller J, Brown KJ, Thomas MG, Copeland L. The importance of dietary carbohydrate in human evolution. Q R Biol. 2015;90(18):251–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Torrence R, Barton H, editors. Ancient starch research. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Copeland L, Hardy KA. Archaeological starch. Agronomy. 2018;8:4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mercader J, Akeju T, Brown M, Bundala M, Collins MJ, Copeland L, et al. Exaggerated expectations in ancient starch research and the need for new taphonomic and authenticity criteria. Facets. 2018;3(1):777–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Herstein B. The centenary of glucose and the early history of starch. J Ind Eng Chem. 1911;3:158–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Schwartz D, Whistler RL. History and future of starch. In: BeMiller J, Whistler RL, editors. Starch Chemistry and Technology. 3rd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier Press; 2009. p. 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part I: On the linkages in starch. Starch-Stärke. 2012;64(9):677–82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part II: On the discovery of the constitution of diastase. Starch-Stärke. 2012;64(10):765–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part III: On the era of confusion due to terminology. Starch-Stärke. 2012;64(11):841–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part IV: On the visualization of granule architecture. Starch-Stärke. 2012;64(12):929–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part V: On the conceptualization of amylopectin structure. Starch-Stärke. 2013;65(1-2):1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Seetharaman K, Bertoft E. Perspectives on the history of research on starch. Part VI: Postscriptum. Starch-Stärke. 2013;65(1-2):107–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Myers AM, Morell MK, James MG, Steven G, Ball SG. Recent progress toward understanding biosynthesis of the amylopectin crystal. Plant Physiol. 2000;122(4):989–77.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Samuel C, Zeeman SC, Kossmann J, Smith AM. Starch: Its metabolism, evolution, and biotechnological modification in plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol. 2010;61(1):209–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Tetlow IJ, Emes MJ. Starch biosynthesis in the developing endosperms of grasses and cereals. Agronomy. 2017;7(4):81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Beach EB. Beccari of Bologna: The discoverer of vegetable protein. J Hist Med Allied Sci. 1961;16:354–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rundle RE, Baldwin RR. The configuration of starch and the starch-iodine complex. I. The dichroism of flow of starch iodine solutions. J Am Chem Soc. 1943;65:554–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rundle RE, French D. The configuration of starch and the starch-iodine complex. II. Optical properties of crystalline starch fractions. J Am Chem Soc. 1943;65:558–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rundle RE, French D. The configuration of starch in the starch-iodine complex. III. X-ray diffraction studies of the starch-iodine complex. J Am Chem Soc. 1943;65:1707–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Nikuni Z. Studies on starch granules. Starch-Stärke. 1978;30:105–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. French D. Fine structure of starch and its relationship to the organization of starch granules. J Jap Soc Starch Sci. 1972;19:8–25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hizukuri S. Polymodal distribution of the chain lengths of amylopectins, and its significance. Carbohydr Polym. 1986;147:342–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bertoft E. Understanding starch structure: Recent progress. Agronomy. 2017;7(3):56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Les Copeland .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Copeland, L. (2020). History of Starch Research. In: Wang, S. (eds) Starch Structure, Functionality and Application in Foods. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0622-2_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics