Microwave treatment alters the multi-scale structure and digestibility of chestnut starch

• Microwave treatment altered multi-scale structure of chestnut starch (CS) and increased its digestibility. • Microwave treatment reduced the crystallinity and double helix content of CS. • Microwave treatment reduced the gelatinization temperatures and ΔH of CS. • 150 s microwave treatment facilitated molecular chain rearrangement of CS and increased the RS content.