Effects of osmotic pressure on the crosslinking reaction of tapioca starch

Tapioca starch was crosslinked with 0.1 % sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) in the presence of alkali and of osmotic pressure enhancing salts such as sodium sulfate and sodium chloride. The addition of various percentages of sodium sulfate to the cross-linking reaction mixture changed the pasting properties of the product starch as measured in the RVA (Rapid Visco Analyser). Peak viscosity (PV) and final viscosity (FV) are first increased with the increase in osmotic pressure followed by a decrease of the viscosities after further pressure increase. Breakdown (BD) is decreased in line with the increase of the osmotic pressure with very good correlation (R-2 = 0.96). These pasting characteristics are attributed to the inhibited swelling without disruption of the starch granules due to the crosslinking reaction. If sodium chloride is used as an osmotic pressure enhancer of the crosslinking reaction, both pasting properties (PV, FV) decrease linearly with the increase in osmotic pressure with very good correlation (R-2 = 0.98 and 0.99, respectively). The BD is dramatically decreased to zero (no breakdown) after applying the osmotic pressure and remains zero after further increase in osmotic pressure. These properties are also attributed to the pasting characteristics of the crosslinked starch. The increase in pasting temperature (PT) with increasing osmotic pressure for both sodium sulfate and sodium chloride demonstrates the increase of the gelatinization temperature of the starch granules. The enhancement of the osmotic pressure can promote the activity of the cross-linking agent.