Starch Chemistry in Food Products

Dear Colleagues,

Amongst the biopolymers in nature, starch has received the most attention with respect to its nutritive value and structure–function relations in food and non-food industrial products and applications. Starch and products derived from starch are the major components in food products and can be used to affect the physical properties of many foods. Starches from different sources and genotypes within such sources show substantial diversity in terms of their composition, amylose and amylopectin structure, and structural arrangement of the starch granules, which contribute to different physicochemical properties and thus different functionalities. The desire to deepen our understanding of the relationship between starch structure and functionalities in food systems leads to a highly interesting scientific field. Research on the effects of chemical, enzymatic, and physical modifications of native starches has further improved their properties and expanded the spectrum of starch applications in food systems. In addition, various physical processing techniques such as heat, shear, and moisture regulation highly influence the structure of starch molecules and interactions with other biomolecules and food additives, as well as the sensory and nutritional qualities of final food products. The impact of these interactions on the sensory and nutritional qualities of foods and their safety have been the focus of a number of recent research studies. The current research is also geared towards the importance of starch in human nutrition and health. A new challenge for the food industry is to supply consumers with starch-containing foods with improved nutritional quality. The different forms of starch in foods and novel food processing techniques and their influence on starch digestibility have received tremendous research focus. This topical collection of Molecules aims to acquire in-depth knowledge about some of the aforementioned research concepts in starches and their application in food products.

Prof. Dr. Hyun-Jung Chung
Dr. Xing Zhou
Collection Editors

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