Abstract:

Xanthan gum was introduced into a corn starch size, and Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) was applied to investigate the effect of the addition of xanthan gum on pasting properties of the corn starch and the apparent viscosity of the sizing liquor. The interactions between xanthan gum and corn starch were discussed. The results revealed that the xanthan gum could facilitate the pasting of corn starch, lower pasting temperature, and shorten pasting time. The peak viscosity increased with the increase of xanthan gum content, which indicated some interactions between xanthan gum and corn starch. The compatibility of the two components decreased with the increase of xanthan gum content, which was reflected by the increased decay viscosity of the blended paste. An uncommom decrease in the viscosity, as the temperature of the sizing liquor cooled down to 50 oC and the content of xanthan gum was 5.5 %, suggested that a phase separation of the system occurred.