Structures, properties, modifications, and uses of oat starch

- Diversity in physicochemical properties and structures of oat starch recorded.
- Amylopectin cluster structure-property relationships of oat starch discussed.
- Impact of agricultural practise and processing on oat starch properties summarised.
- Potential of oat starch for thermoplastics production explored.

There has been increasing interest to utilise oats and their components to formulate healthy food products. Starch is the major component of oat kernels and may account up to 60% of the dry weight. Starch properties may greatly determine the product quality. As a by-product of oat processing and fractionation, the starch may also be utilised for food and non-food applications. This mini-review updates the recent advances in the isolation, chemical and granular structures, physicochemical properties, chemical and physical modifications, and food and non-food uses of oat starch.