A review: modification, beneficial physiological effects and applications of slowly digestible starch

Abstract

This review introduces basic information about slow digesting starch (SDS): chemical structure, modification, physiological effect and application. Generally, the structural feature of SDS is an optimal mix of semi crystalline and amorphous material. Theoretically, there are three groups of methods for obtaining slow-digesting starch: (a) using chemical agents, (b) using physical techniques, and (c) using enzymes. Chemical treatments were cross-linking, citric acid treatment and so on. Physical treatments were retrogradation, hydrothermal treatment etc. Furthermore, enzymatic treatments were debranching reactions, maltogenic -amylase and transglucosidase reactions. Theoretically, starch was separated to three digestible fractions: (i) RDS, amount of glucose released after 20 min; (ii) SDS, amount of glucose released between 20 and 120 min hydrolysis; and (iii) RS, total starch minus amount of glucose released within 120 min hydrolysis. The potential health benefits of SDS are related to glucose metabolism. The SDS content of consumed foods is related to not only glucose metabolism and diabetes management but also the risk reduction of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Finally, SDS can be used as an ingredient in the food matrix.