Page 27 - FoodFocusThailand No.241 May 2026

SPECIAL
SPECIAL FOCUS FOCUS

FUNCTIONAL STARCH:

A KEY MILESTONE TOWARD A HEALTHIER
AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD INDUSTRY

Over the past decade, population aging and the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases—particularly
obesity and type 2 diabetes—have driven the food industry toward more sustainable and health-oriented
product development. Modern foods are now expected not only to provide energy and sensory quality but
also to support glycemic control, gut health, food safety, and traceability. In this context, starch, traditionally
regarded as a basic carbohydrate source, has evolved into “functional starch” with roles extending to both
food processing and human digestion and metabolism .
1-3

Starch is composed of two major polymers, Microbiome-Targeted and Prebiotic Starch
amylose and amylopectin, arranged in semi-crystalline Microbiome-targeted or prebiotic starch comprises starches
granules. Variations in composition and granular or complex carbohydrates that resist smallintestinal digestion
structure govern gelatinization behavior, viscosity, and undergo selective fermentation in the colon. This process
stability, and enzymatic digestibility. High-amylose modulates gut microbiota and stimulates shortchain fatty acid
starches tend to retrograde more readily, resulting in
reduced digestibility. Accordingly, functional starches
are designed or modified to control viscosity, stability,
and glucose release profiles. Current research focuses
on increasing slowly digestible and resistant starch
fractions to attenuate glycemic response and promote
gut health through microbial fermentation. These
functions should be substantiated through integrated
in vitro digestion models and systematic clinical
studies .
1-3
Functional Starch:
Behind Modern Food Innovation
Controlled Digestibility Starch
Controlled digestibility starch refers to functional
starches structurally designed to regulate digestion
rate and glucose release, thereby reducing glycemic
fluctuations, lowering insulin demand, and supporting
metabolic health. This is achieved by adjusting the
proportions of Rapidly Digestible Starch (RDS),
Slowly Digestible Starch (SDS), and Resistant Starch
(RS) through controlling chain length distribution,
amylopectin branching, crystallinity, and molecular
organization, which together influence enzymatic
accessibility .
1
Key strategies include physical modifications
such as heat–moisture treatment and annealing to
modify crystalline structure and enhance resistance to
digestion, controlled retrogradation to produce Resistant
Starch Type 3 (RS3), and enzymatic approaches using
debranching or transglycosylation to tailor amylopectin
structure .
2,3
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