Effect of Cold Plasma and PEF Treatment on the Functional and Structural Properties of Starch

Abstract

Starch is a naturally occurring, semi-crystalline biopolymer and a major energy source for human nutrition. Starch's functional and structural properties are important for determining several uses of it in the food sector. New non-thermal technologies including cold plasma and pulse electric fields (PEFs) have been identified as green technologies and are significant in modifying starch to enhance its functional and structural properties, widening its application. This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of the effect of these non-thermal technologies on the modification of the functional and structural properties of various starches, such as cereals (maize, red rice, wheat), pulses (mung bean), millets (kodo, proso, pearl, sorghum, finger millet), and tubers (potato, cassava, tap