LAUSR

ABSTRACT Kudzu starch has been used as a natural healthy food worldwide. Low solubility, poor water dispensability, high paste viscosity and low fluidity limit its wholesome utility. In order to improve its processing properties and applicability, kudzu starch has been modified using a branching enzyme (BE) from Rhodothermus obamensis and in combination with maltogenic amylase (MA) from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The results indicated that amylose content and molecular weight decreased with enzyme treatment but the proportion of short chains and branch density increased. The natural A-starch type crystalline structure changes to V-type but with decreased crystallinity. The storage modulus and loss modulus depended on the enzyme treatment time. Overall, enzymatic modification results in starch fractions with increased solubility and paste transparency, reduced gelatinization temperature, gelatinization enthalpy, and viscosity. The outcome opens up new opportunities to develop more palatable and marketable products based on kudzu starch.