Preparation and properties of octenyl succinic anhydride modified potato starch

Potato starch was esterified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) in aqueous slurry systems and the major factors affecting the esterification were systematically investigated. The physico-chemical properties of the products were determined by means of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and a viscosity analyser (VA). The results indicated that suitable parameters for the preparation of OSA starch from potato in aqueous slurry systems were as follows: concentration of starch slurry, 35% (in proportion to water, w/w), reaction period, 3 h, pH of reaction system, 8.0, reaction temperature, 35 °C, amount of OSA, 3% (in proportion to starch, w/w), OSA dilution-fold, 5. The degree of substitution (DS) was 0.017 and the reaction efficiency (RE) was 72 ± 1.8%. FT-IR spectroscopy showed characteristic absorption of the ester carbonyl groups in the OSA starch at 1724 cm−1. SEM and X-ray diffraction revealed that OSA groups acted by first attacking the surface and some pores formed, but OSA modification caused little change in the crystalline pattern of potato starch (DS 0.045). Apparent pastiness measurement indicated that the starch derivatives gelatinized within a shorter time to achieve higher viscosities over the range of designed concentration of OSA potato starch.