Understanding the aggregation structure, digestive and rheological properties of corn, potato, and pea starches modified by ultrasonic frequency

Corn starch (CS), potato starch (PtS), and pea starch (PS) were modified by ultrasonic frequency (codes as UFCS, UFPtS and UFPS), and changes in aggregation structure, digestibility and rheology were investigated. For UFCS, the apparent amylose content and gelatinization enthalpy (∆H) decreased, while the R1047/1022 values and relative crystallinity (RC) increased under lower ultrasonic frequencies (20 kHz and 25 kHz). For UFPtS, the apparent amylose content, R1047/1022 values and RC increased, while the ∆H decreased under a higher ultrasonic frequency (28 kHz). For UFPS, the apparent amylose content, R1047/1022 values, RC, ∆H decreased at 20 kHz, 25 kHz and 28 kHz. Cracks were observed on the surface of UFCS, UFPtS and UFPS. These aggregation structure changes increased the resistant starch content to 31.11% (20 kHz) and 26.45% (25 kHz) for UFCS and to 39.68% (28 kHz) for UFPtS, but decreased the resistant starch content to 18.46% (28 kHz) for UFPS. Consistency coefficient, storage modulus, and loss modulus of UFCS, UFPtS and UFPS increased, while the flow behavior index and damping factor decreased. Results indicated that CS, PtS and PS had diverse digestion and rheology behaviors after ultrasonic frequency modification, which fulfilled different demands in starch-based products. Schematic representation for how ultrasonic frequency tailors the aggregation structure-digestibility of UFCS, UFPtS and UFPS. [Display omitted] •20 kHz and 25 kHz significantly increased the RS content of UFCS and 28 kHz significantly increased the RS content of UFPtS.•Rearrangement in short-range molecular order and crystalline structure was found in UFCS and UFPtS.•Destruction in surface, short-range molecular order, crystalline and helical structures was found in UFPS.•Ultrasonic frequency led formation of strong gel network structure for UFCS, UFPtS and UFPS.