Waxy corn starch was esterified with 2-octen-1-ylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) using response surface methodology. The molecular structure and paste properties were also investigated. Results indicated that the optimum parameters for esterification were as follows: reaction period 4 h, temperature 36.7 °C, pH of reaction system 8.3, concentration of starch slurry 36.9%, and amount of OSA 3%. The degree of substitution was 0.0187 and the reaction efficiency was 80.6%. The ester carbonyl group in OSA starch was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy at 1723 cm(-1). Compared with native starch, OSA derivative had higher peak viscosity, better freeze-thaw stability, and decreased gelatinization temperature and digestibility by porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the gels from OSA starch had less and smaller pores; however, the native starch gels changed to sponge-like structure after 4 freezing/thawing cycles. The OSA modified waxy corn starch offered a potential to be used in frozen foods.
Practical application: (a) To optimize operating conditions to achieve OSA modified waxy corn starch with a high degree of substitution; (b) to give a deeper insight into the physicochemical properties of OSA modified waxy corn starch, which offered a potential to be used in frozen foods.