Effects of suspension media on high pressure processing of starches with different crystalline structures.

High pressure processing (HPP) is a starch modification method generally conducted in water, and little is known about the pressure-induced changes in different media. This study investigated the effects of water versus sodium sulfate on corn, potato, and pea starches subjected to HPP at 690 MPa. HPP in both media reduced gelatinization enthalpy and crystallinity for all starches. HPP in sodium sulfate promoted the transition of common corn and potato starches to C-type crystallites. HPP starches in sodium sulfate generally displayed lower pasting temperatures, higher peak viscosities, and greater breakdowns than in water. Alpha-amylase susceptibility increased for all HPP starches and was generally lower in sodium sulfate than in water. HPP common corn and potato starchs in sodium sulfate displayed a porous structure after α-amylase digestion. The competition of sodium sulfate for water molecules between starch helices induced variations in the properties of HPP starches with different crystalline structures.