Distribution of octenylsuccinic substituents in modified A and B polymorph starch granules.

The octenylsuccinic (OS) substituent distribution in octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA)-modified normal maize and potato starches with different degrees of subsititution (DS) was studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and surface gelatinization. The remaining non-gelatinized portions of starch granules after removal of surface-gelatinized starch (remaining granules) were studied with light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the level of succinylation. Results showed that greater proportions of the OS groups were present at the periphery than at the core of the granules. However, the granular interior of OS maize starch has higher fluorescent intensity than that of OS potato starch, as shown by CLSM. The DS of OS maize starch degraded less than that of OS potato starch under the same degree of gelatinization. In addition, the characteristic peaks of the remaining OS maize granules in the FTIR were more protruding than that of the OS potato granules after 50% chemical surface gelatinization. The results implied that maize starch displayed much more homogeneous OSA reaction pattern when compared to potato starch. With the special architectures (pinholes and channels) of maize, it is easier to change the location of OS groups than with potato starch by changing reaction conditions or starch pretreatments.