Physical properties of dry-heated octenyl succinylated waxy corn starches and its application in fat-reduced muffin

Waxy corn starch was modified by dry heating (130 °C, 2 h) in the presence of octenyl succinic acid (OSA) at different pHs (4, 6, and 8), and the physicochemical properties of the modified starch were evaluated. The dry-heated octenyl succinylated (DH-OS) starch was also evaluated as a partial fat substitute in a muffin. Dry heating of starch under a more acidic condition resulted in lower degree of polymerization (DPn) but lower degree of substitution (DS). The pasting viscosity of the DH-OS starch prepared under basic conditions was higher than that of the unheated counterparts, whereas that under acidic conditions was lower. It was because the substitution favored basic conditions, and thermal degradation was accelerated by acids. The gelatinization characteristic was not significantly altered by OSA substitution and dry heating. The muffin containing the DH-OS starch had a higher specific volume and a softer texture than the muffin containing maltodextrin. Among the DH-OS starches tested, the starch prepared under acidic conditions produced muffins that had a greater volume, which was most likely due to its low molecular size. The muffin prepared with DH-OS starch at pH 6 was the softest in texture and had characteristics that were relatively close to the full-fat muffin.