Cluster-Dextrin Decreases Viscosity and Increases Transparency of Gelatinized Starch Paste

Cluster-dextrin, with a weight-average degree of polymerization of 900 (molecular weight, about 146 000), is composed of a cluster unit of amylopectin and has a cyclic structure at the reducing-end. The cluster-dextrin was mixed with the suspension of potato starch or wheat starch and gelatinized by heating. The viscosi- ties of both gelatinized starch pastes mixed with the cluster-dextrin were significantly lower and their transparencies were much higher than the gelatinized starch pastes without the cluster- dextrin. These phenomena were observed even when the cluster-dextrin was added after the gelatinization of each starch suspension. It is therefore concluded that the cluster-dextrin de- creases viscosity of gelatinized starch paste and increases its transparency. We could not find these phenomena by addition of maltose.