Improvement of Potato Starch by Conjugating with ε-Poly(L-Lysine) through the Maillard Reaction

Abstract

Slightly acid-treated potato starch (ATS) granules were conjugated with ε-poly(L-lysine) (PL) by using the Maillard reaction. Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining indicated the conjugation of PL to ATS. The PL content of the ATS-PL conjugate was estimated to be in the rage of about 1.7-2.5%. Conjugation with PL increased the gelatinization temperature, and reduced the swelling, solubility, retrogradation, and digestibility with α- or β-amylase. The ATS-PL conjugate exhibited 1/4-1/2 lower antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida utilis than free PL did.