Potato starch was thermolyzed under ammonia at 140-220°C for 2 to 6 h. Ammonia clearly inhibited dextrinization of starch and under the most drastic experimental conditions (6 h, 220°C) almost negligibly bound to starch. Neither temperature nor reaction time influenced linearly the aqueous solubility and water binding capacity of resulting British gums. The combination of the reaction parameters provided formation of more hydrophobic products with higher- water binding capacity.
The temperature-induced reaction between potato starch and vital gluten was studied. IR absorption spectra showed that the reaction is due to the changes in the gluten macro structure induced by a removal of water molecules co-constituting the original structure of vital gluten. Elevated temperature caused complexation of both components of the blend. The complex was stable up to 245°C. Above this temperature the Maillard-type reaction took place. It was manifested by the evolution of volatile products of the rotten onion stench. Starch can complex up to about 30% (w/w) of gluten. The temperature-dependent aqueous solubility and water binding capacity of starch-gluten complexes showed that both indices increase and decrease, respectively, in nonlinear manner.
The thermolysis of all potato, maize and triticale starch in the atmosphere of ammonia gives solid products with either residual content of nitrogen or entirely nitrogenless substances. They are accompanied by a small fraction of volatile compounds of the aroma of roasted peanuts. The affinity of starch to the reaction with ammonia depends on its origin. However, in every case ammonia prevents a deep dextrinization of starch.
Potato starch was thermolyzed under hydrogen sulphide at 140-220°C for 2-6 h. Starch dextrinized more readily under hydrogen sulphide than in the air. Only dextrins produced by heating up to 160°C for 4 h formed gels characteristics of which could be recorded in a standard manner using the Rheotest-2 viscometer. Application of more drastic conditions (either 160°C for 6 h or 180°C for 2 h and above) led to dextrins viscosity of which was below the range of sensitivity of the viscometer. Depending on the reaction conditions dextrins contained up to 1.2% of sulphur. At milder reaction conditions majority of sulphur containing compounds could be extracted in the form of low molecular weight sulphur compounds. As the reaction time and temperature increased sulphur bound to starch and could not be extracted.