Insights into the Relations between Particle Size and Physicochemical Properties of Starch Nanoparticles Prepared by Combining High-Speed Shearing with Precipitation

This study is the first to investigate the relations between particle size and physicochemical properties of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) prepared by the combination of high-speed shearing and precipitation. Results show that this new approach allows to produce SNPs in nanoscale range of 157.8-859.4 nm by modifying the main operating parameters regarding the effect of starch variety, shearing speed, and shearing time. Interestingly, with decreasing the average particle size of potato starch nanoparticles (PtS-SNPs), the apparent amylose content, solubility, loss modulus, flow behavior index, rapidly digestible starch content, equilibrium hydrolysis percentage, and kinetic constant increased, whereas the swelling power, storage modulus, consistency coefficient, slowly digestible starch content, resistant starch content decreased. These findings suggest the significant impact of average particle size on the physicochemical properties of PtS-SNPs, which provides useful information for the utilization of these size controlled PtS-SNPs with desirable physicochemical properties in product development for different demands.