Improvement in crystallization and digestion resistance of debranched amylopectin dextrins using sodium sulfate

In this study, sodium sulfate, a typical kosmotrope salt (100–500 mM), was used to resistant dextrin crystals prepared via enzymatic debranching, and its effects on the crystallization behavior and in vitro digestibility of the dextrin crystals were investigated. Waxy maize starch was enzymatically debranched (50 °C for 24 h) and simultaneously crystallized (50 °C for 2 d) in aqueous solutions containing sodium sulfate (0–500 mM). The yield of dextrin crystals was increased using a sodium sulfate solution (84% at 500 mM sodium sulfate). The dextrin crystals comprise an A-type arrangement of double helices with higher thermal stability than native starch. Based on the DSC, XRD, and in vitro digestibility test, the high thermal stability and crystallinity of the dextrin crystals provide high resistance to digestive enzymes. The addition of sodium sulfate during crystallization increased the crystallinity and thus increased the digestion resistance. According to the in vitro digestibility test, dextrin crystals prepared with 500 mM sodium sulfate contained a resistant fraction of 80.36% in the uncooked state. After cooking (boiling), over half of the dextrin crystals remain resistant to digestive enzymes. This study showed that sodium sulfate, a typical kosmotrope salt, could accelerate the crystallization process of the debranched waxy maize starch chain, increasing yield, thermal stability, crystallinity, and digestion resistance in a short reaction period.