ABSTRACT
Starch, a natural carbohydrate polymer, acts as the most useful ingredient in food industries. Modification is defined as the process that brings changes in starch structure by various factors, i.e., environmental, operational, processing, etc. The structure and functionality of starch molecules are affected by modifications either positively or negatively. Food industries have shown their interest in producing more natural food components; so, there is an increasing need to improve the properties of native starches without using chemical modifications. Water in starch samples acts as a plasticizer, rendering starch polymeric chains more flexible and thus facilitating the rearrangement of amylose/amylopectin unit chains. HMT has been shown to increase thermal stability and shear resistance of starches and, therefore, can be used as an alternative to chemically modified starches in retort foods, confections, salad dressings, and batter products.
