X-ray Diffraction for Detecting Starch Adulteration and Measuring the Crystallinity Indices of the Polymorphic Modifications of Starch

Abstract

Introduction: Starch is widely used in the food industry and biotechnology, including for manufacturing food packaging materials. Native starches from various sources exist in the form of three polymorphic modifications (A-, B- and C-types) differing in their crystal structure, which has an indirect effect on their physicochemical and technological properties.Purpose: To properly and efficiently use starch as a raw material for biotechnology, one needs to preliminarily identify its polymorphic modification and crystallinity, as well as detect and discard adulterants or substandard raw materials. X-ray diffraction is suggested to be a rapid and accurate method for solving the outlined problems.Methods: In this study, properties of commercial starch from various plant sources (corn, rice, wheat, potatoes, peas, and tapioca) were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.Results and conclusion: Starch of some brands was shown to be adulterated: the more expensive potato starch was replaced with cheaper corn starch. The crystallinity indices were determined for all the selected samples; the crystal structure of corn starch was found to be most highly ordered. Contrariwise, the C-type pea starch was characterized by the lowest degree of crystal structure ordering. The findings obtained in this study show that it is necessary to preliminarily determine the source of starch in order to identify its polymorphic modification, as well as physical and chemical properties by X-ray diffraction. This information will be demanded for developing the new types of functional foods and reproducing the currently used biotechnologies.

Disordering of Starch Films as a Factor Influencing the Release Rate of Biologically Active Substances

“…Here, we use the complex approach for the description of crystal structure disordering. X-ray powder diffraction is most widely employed as a clear, easy to interpret, and routine method to establish the crystal structure and observe the processes of amorphization of substances, including native polymers [ 25 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. The changes in the surface properties of powders can be assessed using the thermal desorption of gases (determination of the specific surface area).…”

“…The crystallinity index of the study objects was calculated using the previously proposed modification of the Nara and Komiya method [ 25 , 30 ]. A smoothened curve connecting the peak baselines was superimposed onto the recorded XRD pattern.…”

“…One of the ways to influence the crystalline structure of natural polymers is mechanical treatment, which provides changes in properties of the materials [ 24 ]. X-ray diffraction analysis is widely used to determine the crystal structure and its changes due to modification [ 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

Comprehensive Enzymatic Conversion of Starch for the Food Industry

“…The crystallinity index ( CrI ) was calculated as the ratio between the area of the crystalline phase and the total area under the XRD curve using Equation (1) [ 40 ]: where is the area of the crystalline phase and is the total area below the XRD pattern curve.…”

Recrystallization of Cellulose, Chitin and Starch in Their Individual and Native Forms

“…The crystallinity index of starch-based materials was calculated using the earlier proposed modification of Nara and Komiya's method [51,52]. A smoothed curve connecting the peak baselines was superimposed onto the recorded XRD pattern.…”