Hydroxypropyl Starch

Starch, an important polysaccharide, has received considerable attention in recent years. While with the non-negligible disadvantages of low gelatinization temperature, insolubility in cold water, weak anti-retrogradation ability, heat variable viscosity, easy swelling, etc., native starch is always modified with chemical, physical, or biological. Hydroxypropylation is a chemical modification method commonly used on starch.

Basic Properties

Classical hydroxypropyl starch is obtained by introducing the 2-hydroxypropyl group onto the O-2, O-3, and O-6 of a glucosyl unit. And the properties of modified starch are affected by the degree of modification. 

Preparation Method

The introduction of hydroxypropyl group to starch molecules will effectively improve the properties of starch paste. Hydroxypropyl can produce steric hindrance effect to prevent the aggregation and crystallization of starch chain; in addition, the hydrophilic property of hydroxypropyl can weaken the internal hydrogen bond strength of starch particle structure and make it easy to expand and gelatinize.