Structure, properties and applications of kudzu starch

The Pueraria has been distributed in most countries of the world, but starch isolated from its root is only popular in China, Japan and other East Asian countries. Herein, we summarize the isolation, components, structure, properties, modifications and applications of kudzu starch. The coexistence of isoflavones with starch leads to the unique feature of kudzu starch. Similar to other common starches, kudzu starch molecules are composed of amylose and amylopectin. However, the fine structure of kudzu starch is different from other starches, influencing its transparency, solubility, swelling power, freeze-thaw stability, gelatinization, retrogradation, pasting and rheological properties, and even in vitro digestion. Kudzu starch has been modified by physical, chemical and enzymatical methods to improve its properties and then potentially broaden its applications. Although kudzu starch has been applied in food and non-food fields, its large-scale utility is limited as compared with other commercial starches. This review would provide useful information for the development and applications of kudzu starch.