Effect of NaCl on the thermal behaviour of wheat starch in excess and limited water

► Thermal transition temperature of starch decreases with increasing NaCl content at 25% moisture. ► At 45% moisture content NaCl reduces starch granule swelling. At 25% the opposite is seen. ► NaCl decreases the enthalpy of the thermal transition in limited water environments. ► NaCl changes the solvent environment to induce the starch thermal transition with less water. ► Reducing NaCl will cause processing implications for low moisture cereal based foods.