Octenylsuccinate starch spherulites as a stabilizer for Pickering emulsions

- Starch spherulite was prepared using debranched waxy maize and waxy potato starch.
- Starch spherulite showed small particle size, high dissociation temperature and crystallinity.
- OSA modified starch spherulite could stabilize Pickering emulsion for 2 months.

This study investigated structure and morphology of starch spherulites prepared from debranched waxy maize and waxy potato starches. Debranched waxy potato starch favored the formation of B-type crystals with longer branch chains (average chain length, 26.14), whereas A-type polymorphic aggregates were generated from debranched waxy maize under same recrystallization condition. Spherulites had smaller particle size distribution (D[3,2], ∼3.7 μm), higher dissociation temperature (80-120 °C) and crystallinity (80∼90%), compared to native waxy starches. Intact spherulites could be used as an edible particle emulsifier after modifying by octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA). The emulsion produced using 2 wt.% of octenylsuccinate (OS) starch spherulites as emulsifier was quite stable over 2 months, and its Pickering emulsions displayed protective effect on stability of oil droplets.