The effects of environmental conditions on the structural features and physico-chemical properties of starches

The effects of environmental factors on the structural features and physico -chemical properties of starch (from various botanical sources) have been i nvestigated over many decades. A close study of published data on the effec ts of environmental factors, especially growth temperature, reveals discrep ancies with regard to its effects on the composition and properties of the major components of starch, namely amylose and amylopectin. These discrepan cies can in part be explained on the basis of the different experimental pr otocols used by the various investigators to provide environmental variatio n although it is clear that environmental factors do influence the depositi on and composition of starch granules. However, the effects of environmenta l conditions on the physical properties of starches are more easily reprodu ced and are consequently better understood. This review is an up to date su rvey of current knowledge in this area and draws extensively on the authors ' own research.