ABSTRACT
Starch has always been considered as an essential carbohydrate food energy source for the human population. A major change in starch perception occurred at the end of the last century, with the evidence of resistant starch, contributing to the ber fraction. The rate of glucose release by the starchy structures, the level of resistant starch, and the functional properties are determined by the state of organization of amylose and amylopectin in the foods. Many public health authorities and food organizations such as the World Health Organization, the USDA Nutrition Advisory Program (2005), the French National Program for Nutrition and Human Health (2006-2008), the Japanese National Institute of Health and Nutrition, and the British Nutrition Foundation all recognize starch as a benecial carbohydrate: starch, with a recommended nutrient intake of 150g/day, should be a predominant nutrient.
