Waxy maize starch modified by sun-drying after spontaneous or backslopping fermentation

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of sun-drying after spontaneous or back-slopping fermentation on waxy maize starch (WMS) properties by thermal and pasting properties, water activity and chemical composition, swelling power and solubility, and morphological characteristics. The microbial metabolism affected chemical composition, as back-slopping fermentation reduced the time for achieving 4% of total acidity from 27 to 7 days. WMS was susceptible to surface degradation by the fermentation process. The kind of fermentation did not change the gelatinization parameters, viscosity breakdown and oil solubility. FS decreased peak viscosity, final viscosity and setback values, while increasing peak time and paste temperature values, showed more statistical differences with respect to WMS than BSF. Back-slopping fermentation can speed up the process of the modification of waxy maize starch, and change its functional properties, which can extend the WMS industrial applications.