Rapid Estimation of Parameters for Gelatinization of Waxy Corn Starch

Starch gelatinization is an important process due to the prevalence of starch usage in industries such as cosmetics and food production. In this study, the gelatinization of waxy corn starch (WCS) was investigated with the goal of providing an option for the rapid determination of starch gelatinization characteristics. The procedure used in the study was solely based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which is an established technique for the determination of thermal characteristics of starches. A sequence of experiments was conducted to determine the excess water condition, an estimate of the minimum gelatinization temperature, and gelatinization time. These parameters were found to be >= 65 wt.% water, 75-85 degrees C, and 10 min, respectively. The estimation of the minimum gelatinization temperature was determined from the thermal properties of the WCS as obtained by DSC. The obtained parameters resulted in complete WCS gelatinization, and, thus, the sequence of procedures used in the study could possibly be used for rapid waxy starch evaluation.