Effect of fatty acids on the rheological behaviour of pea starch dispersions during heating

The pasting of 13% pea starch dispersions in the presence of myristic, palmitic or stearic acid anions, was monitored by on-line measuring parameters, such as torque development, pasting temperature, viscosity exhibited and granule swelling. The results indicated that the rate of the process can be accelerated or retarded depending on the fatty acid chain length. The flow characteristics of heated, at 75, 85 and 98 °C, 10% pea starch dispersions were examined at these temperatures, in the presence of the above-mentioned fatty acids. It was shown that the viscosity exhibited by the starch dispersions was greatly influenced by the fatty acid chain length, the temperature of heating and the addition of acid prior or after heating to the starch system. Certain mechanisms were proposed to occur in order to explain the behaviour of starch systems during pasting as well as during heating especially in the presence of compounds that interact with starch components.