What is it about?
The work demonstrates that sweet potato starch can be transformed into a value-added ingredient with improved This study is about improving the usefulness of starch from sweet potatoes. Normally, native starch does not dissolve well in water and has poor stability, which limits its use in food and industrial applications. To address this, the researchers tested different roasting times, temperatures, and levels of acid treatment to find the best way to convert sweet potato starch into dextrin, a more functional ingredient. The results showed that temperature and acid concentration were the most important factors in this process. Under the best conditions—94 minutes of roasting at 127 °C with 0.43 M hydrochloric acid—the starch was transformed into dextrin with very high solubility (97%). Even though the main chemical groups in the starch remained unchanged, the structure became less crystalline, making it dissolve more easily. Microscopy also showed that the granule shape was preserved, and thermal testing confirmed that the modified starch had a high glass transition temperature, meaning it is stable during storage and processing. In simple terms, this work demonstrates how sweet potato starch can be optimized into a value-added product with improved properties. Such dextrins are promising as encapsulating agents to protect flavors, nutrients, or bioactive compounds, and as additives in the food and chemical industries.properties for food and chemical industries
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Why is it important?
This study focused on turning starch from sweet potatoes into a more useful form called dextrin. Normally, native starch does not dissolve well in water and has poor stability, which limits its use in food and industrial applications. By carefully controlling roasting time, temperature, and acid treatment, we optimized a process called pyroconversion to produce dextrin with much better solubility (97%). We showed that while the starch’s main chemical groups remained the same, its structure changed: crystallinity decreased, making it easier to dissolve and use. The optimized dextrin also had a high glass transition temperature, meaning it is stable and suitable for use in food industries—for example, as an encapsulating agent to protect flavors, nutrients, or bioactive compounds.
Perspectives
From my perspective, what excites me most about this publication is its demonstration of how a simple crop like sweet potato can be transformed into a high-value ingredient with industrial relevance. I find it particularly impactful that the study not only identifies optimal processing conditions but also shows how structural integrity of starch granules can be maintained while improving solubility and stability. This balance between preserving natural structure and enhancing functionality opens up practical opportunities for using sweet potato starch as a sustainable, locally sourced alternative in food and chemical industries.
Dr Abdulkabir Oladele Oladimeji
Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Ondo State
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Process optimization in the pyroconversion of native sweet potato starch: structural and functional characterization of pyrodextrin, Discover Food, August 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s44187-024-00143-2.
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