ABSTRACT
The effect of physical and chemical modifications on physicochemical, thermal, morphological and rheological properties of pearl millet starches is studied in this chapter. Industrial applications of native starch are limited due to less stability of starch at varying processing conditions such as temperature, pH, and high shear rate. To improve properties of native starches, starches are modified using physical, chemical and enzymatic methods. The properties of modified starches depend on the modification method. During chemical modification, the type of chemical, reaction pH, reactant concentration, time and temperature affect the properties of starches. With proper selection of reaction conditions, the desired properties of starches can be achieved. To produce more natural food components, there is a necessity to improve the properties of native starches without using chemicals for modification, so a physical method for starch modification is preferred. In this chapter, we highlight the physical and chemical methods of starch modification.
