Maize Starch Biphasic Pasting Curves

Abstract The pasting of commercial maize starches was found to be a biphasic phenomenon, exhibiting an expected first viscosity peak as well as an unexpected, relatively large second viscosity peak under specific cooking conditions when using a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). The second peak formed at long holding times (between 32 and 45 min), holding temperatures within the range of 82 to 95 °C, starch concentrations from 8 to 13% with a wide range of initial heating rates (0·5–10 °C/min) and shear conditions (150–500 rev/min). The second pasting peak is attributed to the formation of complexes between amylose and low levels of lipid present in maize starch. When lipid was partially removed by extraction with methanol-chloroform (1 : 3 v/v), the second pasting peak disappeared. When, however, the starch sample was treated with solvent and the solvent removed by evaporation, the second peak remained, but formed earlier. Increasing the holding temperature gave a slightly higher first viscosity peak, slightly earlier, and led to a decrease in the area and height of the second viscosity peak. Increasing heating rate also led to an earlier, slightly higher first peak and earlier but lower second viscosity peak. Increasing starch concentration led to an increase in height and area of both the first and second peaks and their later occurrence. Increasing shear led to a decrease in height and area of both the first and second peaks and their later appearance.