Enhancement of efficient and selective hydrolysis of maize starch via induced electric field

Abstract This study aimed to efficiently and selectively hydrolyze maize starch via induced electric field (IEF). The role of electrical conductivity in regulating efficiency and selectivity was investigated, and the structural and physicochemical properties of hydrolyzed products were characterized. Compared with water-bath heating, IEF induced the rapid and ordered migration of charged species, thus increasing the hydrolysis rate and narrowing the molecular weight distribution of hydrolyzed starch. The addition of KCl enhanced IEF-assisted hydrolysis due to the absorption of additional electrical energy into the reaction system. After hydrolysis, the molecular chains of maize starch exhibited cleavage, the granular surface became rough, the crystallinity increased, the gelatinization enthalpy slightly increased, the viscosity of starch paste reduced, the hardness of starch gel declined, and the re-crystallization showed no significant improvement. Overall, this study extends the potential applications of electro-techniques in preparing hydrolyzed starch with narrow molecular weight distribution in food and material fields.