Protein-starch matrix microstructure during rice flour pastes formation

Scanned electron microscopy results revealed that the ability of forming a hair-like network (protein-starch matrix) as well as its rigidity constitutes to the conveying of the net pasting viscosities of flour. The formation of such network contributed to protecting starch granules integrity, resulted in increasing the resistance of rice paste to shear and thus increasing rice flour paste viscosity. Results also suggest that protein structural integrity and the nature of starch-protein bonding affected rice flour pasting mechanism formation.