Effects of Sucrose Addition on the Physical Properties of Cornstarch Gels

Abstract

The effect of sucrose addition on the gel strength of 15 wt% cornstarch (13.0 wt% on dry matter basis) was studied using differential scanning calorimetry and uniaxial compression tests. Sucrose at concentrations of 0–50 wt% was added before and during heating of the cornstarch dispersions.

When sucrose was added to the cornstarch, gelatinization occurred at higher temperature and the gelatinization enthalpy was increased, indicating suppression of the gelatinization process. However, cornstarch gels with sucrose became more resistant to deformation and deformable than the control. These phenomena were pronounced when sucrose was added before heating the starch dispersions.

Furthermore, it was found that, upon storage of cornstarch gels in which sucrose was added before and during heating, the amount and rate of change in the gel strength was greater than that of the control. However, addition of sucrose at 20 wt% or higher before the heating step resulted in fewer changes in the gel strength during storage, indicating the retardation of starch retrogradation. Moreover, adding sucrose to gels during heating led to fewer changes in the gel strength during storage.