Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch

Starch granules in their native state are insoluble and semi-crystalline. There are three forms of starch/amylopectin in nature: A, B, and C: in cereals (A), tubers and high amylose starches (B), and some varieties of peas and beans (C). Crystallinity and rate of starch hydrolysis depend on the plan...

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Main Authors: Evžen Šárka, Petra Smrčková, Marcela Sluková
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences 2025-04-01
Series:Czech Journal of Food Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cjfs.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjf-202502-0008_crystallinity-of-starch-food-composition-and-digestibility-of-starch.php
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author Evžen Šárka
Petra Smrčková
Marcela Sluková
author_facet Evžen Šárka
Petra Smrčková
Marcela Sluková
author_sort Evžen Šárka
collection DOAJ
description Starch granules in their native state are insoluble and semi-crystalline. There are three forms of starch/amylopectin in nature: A, B, and C: in cereals (A), tubers and high amylose starches (B), and some varieties of peas and beans (C). Crystallinity and rate of starch hydrolysis depend on the plant species and growing conditions. The changes during food preparation include gelatinisation, the formation of amylose-lipids and amylose-protein complexes, and resistant starch (RS) origin. They are accompanied by changes from crystal to amorphous form and vice versa. Starch in human food is mostly rapidly or slowly digestible. Rapidly digestible starch is formed by gelatinisation, cooking extrusion, breaking down of starch granules, or hydrolysis to maltodextrins. By definition, RS is not digested in the small intestine. This review addresses the influences of biochemical processes in the human body on starch digestibility. It is strongly influenced by the degree of chewing, the activity of α-amylase in the intestine, and transit time through the stomach and small intestine. Resistant starch and endogenous intestinal mucus support the growth of specialist microbes in the large intestine that produce a variety of short-chain fatty acids, causing the perception of satiety, lowering pH, and inhibiting pathogens in the colon.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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record_format Article
series Czech Journal of Food Sciences
spelling doaj-art-07ebe59dfdae4bb4bd0a43e535c0e7422025-08-20T03:52:16ZengCzech Academy of Agricultural SciencesCzech Journal of Food Sciences1212-18001805-93172025-04-014329010410.17221/33/2025-CJFScjf-202502-0008Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starchEvžen Šárka0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-4997Petra Smrčková1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3486-5761Marcela Sluková2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7572-9221Department of Carbohydrates and Cereals, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Carbohydrates and Cereals, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Carbohydrates and Cereals, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech RepublicStarch granules in their native state are insoluble and semi-crystalline. There are three forms of starch/amylopectin in nature: A, B, and C: in cereals (A), tubers and high amylose starches (B), and some varieties of peas and beans (C). Crystallinity and rate of starch hydrolysis depend on the plant species and growing conditions. The changes during food preparation include gelatinisation, the formation of amylose-lipids and amylose-protein complexes, and resistant starch (RS) origin. They are accompanied by changes from crystal to amorphous form and vice versa. Starch in human food is mostly rapidly or slowly digestible. Rapidly digestible starch is formed by gelatinisation, cooking extrusion, breaking down of starch granules, or hydrolysis to maltodextrins. By definition, RS is not digested in the small intestine. This review addresses the influences of biochemical processes in the human body on starch digestibility. It is strongly influenced by the degree of chewing, the activity of α-amylase in the intestine, and transit time through the stomach and small intestine. Resistant starch and endogenous intestinal mucus support the growth of specialist microbes in the large intestine that produce a variety of short-chain fatty acids, causing the perception of satiety, lowering pH, and inhibiting pathogens in the colon.https://cjfs.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjf-202502-0008_crystallinity-of-starch-food-composition-and-digestibility-of-starch.phphuman obesityreduction of overweightsoluble fibreplant polyphenolsgluten-free foodstype 2 diabetes mellitus
spellingShingle Evžen Šárka
Petra Smrčková
Marcela Sluková
Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
Czech Journal of Food Sciences
human obesity
reduction of overweight
soluble fibre
plant polyphenols
gluten-free foods
type 2 diabetes mellitus
title Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
title_full Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
title_fullStr Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
title_full_unstemmed Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
title_short Crystallinity of starch, food composition, and digestibility of starch
title_sort crystallinity of starch food composition and digestibility of starch
topic human obesity
reduction of overweight
soluble fibre
plant polyphenols
gluten-free foods
type 2 diabetes mellitus
url https://cjfs.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjf-202502-0008_crystallinity-of-starch-food-composition-and-digestibility-of-starch.php
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AT marcelaslukova crystallinityofstarchfoodcompositionanddigestibilityofstarch