Effect of high-pressure homogenization on the structure of cassava starch

Cassava starch suspension was homogenized at different pressures (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 MPa) with a high-pressure homogenizer. To investigate the effect of high-pressure homogenization on the structure of cassava starch, the samples were characterized using microscopy, laser scattering, and X-ray diffraction techniques, with native and heat gelatinized cassava starches as controlled samples. The temperature of starch suspension increased linearly with applied pressure at a rate of 0.187 degrees C/MPa. Microscopy studies showed that cassava starch was partly gelatinized after high-pressure homogenization, and the degree of gelatinization increased with homogenizing pressure. Results of laser scattering measurements suggested a considerable increase in particle size after homogenization at 100 MPa as a result of granule swelling. The Xray diffraction pattern showed that there was no evident change after homogenization suggesting that the crystalline structure of starch granules was resistant to high-pressure homogenization.