CLUSTER-DEXTRIN DECREASES VISCOSITY AND I NCREASES TRANSPARENCY OF GELATINIZED STARCH PASTE

Cluster-dextrin, with a weight-average degree of polymerization of 900 (molecular weight, about 146 000), is composed of a cluster unit of a mylopectin and has a cyclic structure al the reducing-end. The cluster -dextrin was mixed with the suspension of potato starch or wheat starc h and gelatinized by healing. The viscosities of both gelatinized star ch pastes mixed with the cluster-dextrin were significantly lower and their transparencies were much higher than the gelatinized starch past es without the cluster-dextrin. These phenomena were observed even whe n the cluster-dextrin was added after the gelatinization of each starc h suspension. It is therefore concluded that the cluster-dextrin decre ases viscosity of gelatinized starch paste and increases its transpare ncy. We could not find these phenomena by addition of maltose.