Defence Johanna Thomann: "Dual modification of potato starch for food applications"
Promotors: 1st promotor: Prof Erik Heeres, 2nd promotor: Prof Andre Heeres
Abstract:
In my PhD research with the Innovation Hub East-Groningen, locally sourced potato starch and mineral salts were used for the investigation of starch-ion interactions during hydrothermal starch modifications.
By pairing hydrothermal treatments, namely annealing, heat‑moisture, dry‑heat, and alkaline roasting, with ion exchange of mono‑ and divalent cations, we were able to fine‑tune several important functional properties including starch crystallinity, gelatinisation temperature, viscosity development, digestibility and even colour. Finally, dual modified starches prepared by ion exchange during annealing were then tested in breads and pound cakes in a research collaboration with the Max-Rubner institute in Germany, with a favourable outcome for texture and colour of the baked goods.
With this, the research demonstrated the wide range of starch products that can be prepared using this approach. These findings may guide practioners that seek to replace chemically modified starches, that require labelling with E-numbers and often come with a large environmental impact, by the use of novel, locally sourced and minimally processed starch products.