Properties of maize starch modified by ball milling in ethanol medium and low field NMR determination of the water molecular mobility in their gels

Ethanol as moisturizing agent and ball-milling treatment, has been combined in order to determine their impacts on the improvement of the properties of physically modified maize (Zea mays) starch granules. The content of ethanol has been set respecting a ratio of starch to ethanol varying from 1:0 to 1:3 (w:v), and the ball-milling time varied between 0 and 72 h. We observed that the increase of the amylose content varied in a more effective way with increase of the milling time (p < 0.05) than with the variation of the starch to ethanol ratios. As expected, modified starches were more transparent, more soluble, less crystalline, and presented damaged structures. In all cases, the starch granule sizes were better distributed at ratios of starch to ethanol of 1:0 and 1:3 (w:v) respectively. In addition, the impact of the combination of these treatments on the mobility of water molecules in starch gels characterized by the transverse relaxation time (T-2), as well as the abundance of protons (H-1 T-2) in each populations were determined by low field NMR. Mobility of water molecules within starch gels increased at high temperature. Nonetheless, the proton population at T-2 > 10 ms (characterized by T-22) for the modified starch (starch/ethanol. 1:3 w:v) was fundamental in the different water concentrations, and accounts for 70 to 90% of total protons, at temperatures >60 degrees C. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.