State of water in starch-water systems in the gelatinization temperature range as investigated using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

► Dielectric spectra of starch-water systems exhibit up to three Debye-type relaxations. ► The fastest relaxation process (4-9 ps) was attributed to bulk water. ► The amount of water exhibiting the slowest relaxation (230-620 ps) was close to the monolayer water. ► Mobility of bulk water was significantly reduced upon gelatinization at low starch concentrations. ► The relative water distribution in the three relaxations is not significantly influenced by gelatinization.