ABSTRACT
Starches have some undesirable properties which are unsuitable for most applications; therefore, starches are subjected to physical, chemical, and enzymatic modifications to enhance their positive attributes and/or minimize their defects. In this chapter, we highlight the physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods of starch modification. Because of the absence of any chemical compounds, physical modification is simple and cost-effective. On the other hand, chemical modification (type of chemicals, reaction pH, reactant concentration, time, and temperature) involves the exploitation of the hydroxyl group present in the starches that brings about the desired results for the utilization of starches for specific applications. Therefore, the application of starch in various food and non -food industries can be increased by adopting various techniques of modification.
