Study on the Mechanical Properties of Starch Gels

The aim of this work was to investigate the starch gel texture that influenced the mechanical or rheological sense of taste of the starch gel foods. The test result showed that the gel strength and the elastic modulus was increased while the gel elasticity was almost not changed with the increasing of the starch concentration. The differences in the molecular structures such as the amylose average degree of polymerization DP, the amylopectin average chain length CL were the principal factors that caused the differences in the gel texture, so as to cause the differences in the gel mechanical features as indicated in the orders of the three different starches examined in this study: kuzu starch＞potato starch＞maize starch(gel strength); kuzu starch＞maize starch＞potato starch(gel elasticity); potato starch＞kuzu starch＞maize starch(elastic modulus).