The impact of heat‐moisture treatment and pre‐gelatinization on functional, mechanical, and barrier properties of basmati rice starch films

Abstract Background and Objectives This study investigated the effect of heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) and pre‐gelatinization (PG) on the physical, mechanical, barrier, and optical features of films based on starch extracted from the Pakistani well‐known variety “Basmati rice.” The thermal disintegration of granules was indicated by Scanning Electron Micrographs for HMT film. Findings The results of the study showed that the solubility of films in water was reduced in the following sequence: Pre‐gelatinized rice starch film (33.66%) > Native rice starch (NRS) film (30.42%) > Heat moisture‐treated rice starch (HMTRS) film (26.90%). The lowest water‐soluble HMTRS film showed increased water transfer resistance and both treatments (HMT and PG) reduced water vapor permeability values of NRS from 2.49 × 10−10 to 1.25 × 10−10 g−1 s−1 Pa−1 and 1.34 × 10−10 g−1 s−1 Pa−1, respectively. Conclusions HMT induced structural deviations that impact higher changes in color parameters and reduced transparency while both modified films had higher elongation at break than NRS films, but PG films had lower TS as compared to the HMT and NRS films. Significance and Novelty The lower water vapor permeability of HMT films makes them suitable for packaging moisture‐sensitive food products, while PG films can find use in the packaging of products that are sensitive to light.