Understanding the role of plasticisers in spray-dried starch

- Starch-plasticiser blends were spray-dried to produce amorphous starch powders.
- Spray-dried powders are preferred for low crystallinity film manufacture.
- Urea was found to be a more effective plasticiser than glycerol.
- Moisture absorption and rate of retrogradation depends on plasticiser type used.
- Glycerol promotes retrogradation at humid conditions.