Acid hydrolysis of corn starch genotypes. I. Impact on morphological and molecular properties

•Carbohydrate loss is marginal and granular structure is preserved during hydrolysis.•Molecular degradation depends systematically on the extent of the process factors.•Molecular properties of both genotypes are controllable with the process parameters.•In HACS, the acid-induced degradation of AM occurs concomittantly to AP.•Specificity of acid-induced chain cleavage depends on supramolecular arrangement. With respect of the partial molecular degradation of the starch polysaccharides, the impact of the acid-thinning process on the specific starch properties of two corn genotypes was investigated. A high amylose corn (HACS) and a waxy corn (WxCS) starch were hydrolyzed using HCl in the laboratory scale slurry process (40% w/w, 30 °C). The acid concentration (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 M) as well as the hydrolysis time (4, 10 and 20 h) were graded systematically (experimental design) and the obtained modified starch genotypes characterized comprehensively. As revealed by scanning electron micoscopy (SEM), the supramolecular structure was preserved in general, and the carbohydrate solubilization was limited to about 2–3 %. Molecularly dispersed solutions were characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography-multi angle laser light scattering-differential refractive index detection (SEC-MALS-DRI). Both acid concentration and hydrolysis time reduced the molar mass (MM) of the starch [HACS: 4.4∙106 (native)…1.2∙106 g∙mol−1 (highest degree of degradation); WxCS: 49.7∙106 (native)…6.4∙106 g∙mol−1 (highest degree of degradation)], the amylose (AM) fraction as well as the amylopectin (AP) branch chain length systematically. Perceptible differences in dependence on starch variety were ascertained and discussed. The molecular properties of the investigated acid-thinned genotypes are selectively controllable with the hydrolysis process. The relationship between modification process, starch’s molecular state, and resulting functional properties was examined in the second part of the study.