STARCH FRAGMENTATION DURING EXTRUSION PROCESSING

This study focuses on the molecular fragmentation of starch as a resul t of extrusion-based thermomechanical processing. Gel permeation chrom atography-light scattering and bulk intrinsic viscosity measurements w ere used for the macromolecular characterization. The data indicate th at the extrusion processing of starch results in a reduction in its mo lecular weight. Such a fragmentation of the starch polymer could be at tributed, at least partly, to debranching of the molecules.