Effect of dry heating with ionic gums at controlled pH on starch paste viscosity

Waxy maize and potato starches were dispersed in pH 6.0 and 8.0 aqueous solutions (1%) of an ionic gum (sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and xanthan). The mixture was dried at 45°C overnight and then heat-treated 2 hr at 130°C. Effects on the paste viscosity of the products in a pH 7.0 buffer were examined. Heating with sodium alginate or sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) increased the paste viscosity of waxy maize starch but reduced that of potato starch. In both starches, xanthan effected greater viscogram changes than did sodium alginate or CMC. Use of xanthan in the treatment produced products with restricted granular swelling and increased shear stability of the pastes. The pH of the starch-gum mixtures affected the thermally induced viscosity changes. Mild acidity (pH 6.0) effected a viscosity decrease for the heat-treated starch product, whereas alkalinity (pH 8.0) raised the viscosity regardless of the presence of gum. But pH 6 before heat treatment was favored for viscosity increase by sodium alginate, whereas pH 8 gave a greater increase in viscosity when xanthan was used. By using gum mixtures such as xanthan-alginate and xanthan-CMC, both viscosity increase and good shear-stability were achieved.