Abstract
Starch modification studies have been carried out to overcome the shortcomings of native starches and to increase the usefulness of starch for industrial applications. The thermal, structural and pasting properties of starch from chestnut fruits (Castanea sativa, Mill), which were modified by mixtures of water–HCl, methanol–HCl and ethanol–HCl at different concentrations, were assessed. The thermogravimetry (TG) results showed that the chestnut starches had lower thermal stability when compared to starch from other botanic sources; however, after treatment, this stability increased. The differential scanning calorimetry results confirmed the gradual degradation of the amorphous areas of the starch granules by the acid–water mixture, which was enhanced by acid–ethanol treatment, leading to more crystalline residues that needed higher enthalpy to gelatinise. Using X-ray powder diffractometry, it was possible to observe a C-type starch and a reduction in relative crystallinity values when compared to native starch. In addition, the pasting viscosities decreased in all the modified starches, as was expected. However, obvious defects or signs of damage on the surface of the granules were not observed after treatment. This study is helpful to better understand the relationships between structure and functional properties in relation to the eventual industrial application of chestnut starches.
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