Greta Adamczyk

Thixotropic properties of normal potato starch depending on the degree of the granules pasting

The aim of this paper was the study of the rheological instability (thixotropy and/or antithixotropy) of normal potato starch (NPS) pastes depending on their concentration (2-5%) and degree of pasting. Flow curves with hysteresis loops, apparent viscosity at constant shear rate and in-shear structural recovery tests were carried out. Granule size profiles, the pasting characteristic of corresponding starch suspensions and the transmittance of the pastes, the molecular weights and polydispersity of granular starch and its pastes prepared at 80, 95 and 121°C were also studied. The degree of pasting was dependent on the temperature and the concentration and influenced strongly the rheological behavior of the pastes. All pastes belonged to the non-Newtonian liquids thinned by shear and were rheologically unstable to the various extent. Thixotropic properties were connected to the size and the number of the starch granules in the pastes as well as depended on the measuring method used. In the 2 and 3% samples pasted at 80°C the swelling of the granules prevailed their destruction (thixotropy was observed). In the other samples the destruction predominated the swelling (antithixotropy observed).

Binary mixtures of two anionic polysaccharides simulating the rheological properties of oxidised starch

Abstract Modifications of starches are carried out to improve their industrial usefulness. However, the consumers prefer natural products. For this reason, various methods of starch properties modification are applied to replace those requiring the use of chemical reagents. The aim of this study was to determine whether it is possible to use binary pastes, containing normal potato starch and xanthan gum, as substitutes of chemically modified starches (with oxidised starch E 1404 pastes as an example). Flow curves with hysteresis loops, apparent viscosity at constant shear rate of 50 s−1 and in-shear structural recovery test with pre-shearing were applied to study the rheological properties of the pastes. It was found that two anionic hydrocolloids, potato starch and xanthan gum, can form binary systems with thickening properties, provided that their proportions are adequately adjusted. Some of the binary pastes under investigation exhibited rheological properties resembling pastes of starch oxidised with hypochlorite (E 1404). The way of tailoring the binary pastes properties is presented.