DSC studies of retrogradation and amylose-lipid complex transition taking place in gamma irradiated wheat starch

The effect of gamma irradiation (Co-60) with doses of 5 - 30 kGy on the amylose-lipid complex transition and retrogradation occurring in gels containing ca. 50% and ca. 20% wheat starch was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) during heating-cooling-heating cycles (up to three cycles). Transition of the amylose-lipid complex occurs in all the irradiated samples at a lower temperature as compared to the non-irradiated starch. That effect was larger when the radiation dose was higher. A further thermal treatment causes a decrease of the transition temperature in the irradiated samples, with no effect or increase of that temperature observed for the non-irradiated ones. Irradiation hinders retrogradation taking place in 50% gels but facilitates the process occurring in 20% gels. The differences between the irradiated and the non-irradiated samples are more evident in the every next heating or cooling cycle as well as after storage and in the case of ca. 50% suspensions as compared to ca. 20% suspensions. The results point out to the deterioration of the structure of the complexes formed in the irradiated starch as compared to the non-irradiated one. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.