Lecithin enhances the complexation between pea starch and fatty acids in aqueous system, and affects the starch’s structure and enzymatic hydrolysis

This paper investigates a newly found effect of lecithin on the complexation between starch and saturated fatty acids. Rapid visco analysis showed that adding lecithin to the pea starch-fatty acid mixtures resulted in a viscosity peak during the setback stage of the pasting curve. Subsequent differential scanning calorimetry showed that pea starch-fatty acid-lecithin systems formed more V-type structures than pea starch-fatty acid complexes. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the addition of lecithin developed the long-range and short-range order of the V-complexes. Small-angle X-ray scattering showed the ternary system had a more compact stack in nano-scale and smaller D bragg than the binary complex. In vitro enzymatic hydrolysis revealed higher hydrolysis resistance of ternary systems compared to binary complexes. The results of this research provide a mechanism for modifying starch-lipid complexes and contribute to scientific understanding of food ingredient interactions.