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Morphological changes of starch granules from 12 different varieties of rice were examined by scanning electron microscopy during heating at 2.5% (w/v) concentration. Rice starch granules proceeded through a similar pattern of progressive morphological changes daring heating, regardless of variety. Rice starch granules began to swell radially in the initial stage of gelatinization and then undergo radial contraction and random tangential expansion to form complex structures in the latter stage of gelatinization temperature range. At higher temperatures, starch granules softened and melted into thin flat discs, and then stretched into thin filaments to form three-dimensional networks. These progressive morphological changes were reflected in the changes of swelling power, solubility and amylograph viscosity of starch. During the transition of melting or softening, swelling power, solubility and amylograph viscosity increased rapidly. The time of loss of granular structure of starch depended on gelatinization temperature range. The ratio of amylose to amylopectin was largely responsible fur the rate of melting or softening and the fineness of a three-dimensional filamentous network above the gelatinization temperature range. Therefore, both the gelatinization temperature range and amylose content of starch affect the rate of cooking, and amylose content of starch affects the final texture of cooked starch paste(Received December 12, 1991, .accepted December 30, 1991).
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