Resistant Starch: Physiological Roles and Food Applications

A portion of starch and starch products that resist digestion in small intestine has been described as resistant starch. Starch may become resistant to digestion due to several reasons, as it may be physically inaccessible, retrograded, or chemically modified. Resistant starch may be categorized as a functional dietary fiber, as defined by the American Association of Cereal Chemists and Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academics. Resistant starch appears to confer considerable health benefits like reduction in risk of colon cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, constipation, increased fecal bulking, modulation of blood glucose level, and blood cholesterol level as well as play a prebiotic role. Resistant starch has low water holding capacity, small particle size, and bland flavor. Incorporation of resistant starches in baked products, pasta products and beverages imparts improved textural properties and health benefits. Resistant starches are being examined for both their potential health benefits as well as functional properties to produce high quality foods. However, the results and findings of different studies are hampered by differences in experiment design, and differences in sources, types, and doses of resistant starch.