Current research addressing starch acetylation

•Starch acetylation procedures and raw materials were presented.•Methods of substitution degree determination were discussed.•Correlation between acetylation degree and properties of modified preparations was discussed. Though modification of starch through acetylation is known for about 150years, it is still an object of extensive studies at various research centers worldwide. This manuscript presents an overview of literature from the last 5years concerning starch acetylation. It also describes the applied raw materials, production procedures of acetylated starch and correlations between the degree of substitution with acetyl groups and properties of the modified preparations.