Characterisation and disintegration properties of irradiated starch

Irradiation treatment could provide a quick and simple way to modify the ph ysical, chemical and pharmaceutical properties of biopolymers such as starc h. Corn, potato and drum dried corn starch were exposed to X-ray and electr on beam (e-beam) irradiation treatment at doses of 10, 50 and 100 kGy. The disintegration properties of these starches were compared using alpha -lact ose monohydrate tablets containing 5% (w/w) starch as disintegrant. Starch solubility increased, while its swelling capacity decreased with increasing irradiation dose. The irradiation treatment caused fragmentation of the am ylopectin fraction. Irradiation modified the different starches thoroughly, showing remarkable differences in disintegration properties after X-ray tr eatment and e-beam modification. The e-beam modification resulted in signif icantly higher disintegration times of the tablets. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.