Preparation of cross-linked maize (Zea mays L.) starch in different reaction media.

Granular normal maize starch was reacted with sodium trimetaphosphate in deionized water ( [Formula: see text] ), aqueous sodium sulfate solution ( [Formula: see text] ), aqueous ethanol (MSethanol) or aqueous acetone (MSacetone) under otherwise identical reaction conditions. Analysis of the resultant starches by Rapid Visco Analysis (RVA) showed that the starch was cross-linked to a higher degree in aqueous ethanol or aqueous acetone than in water or sodium sulfate solution, and with minimal starch leaching. While MSacetone and MSethanol had incorporated similar levels of phosphorous, RVA analysis and microscopic analysis showed that MSacetone granules were more effectively stabilized by cross-linking than MSethanol granules. Cross-linking in aqueous acetone is believed to either contain the greater numbers of distarch monophosphate (versus monostarch monophosphate), or occur more intensively at the granule outer layers than that in aqueous ethanol and, at the same time, to account for the greater granular strength of MSethanol than that of MSacetone.