Structural Insights, Modification Techniques and Multisectoral Applications of Starch from Various Plant Sources: A Review

Starch is an economically viable natural polysaccharide whose functional performance is strongly influenced by its botanical origin, granule architecture, and crystalline allomorphs. Starch is physically, chemically, enzymatically, and genetically modified through environmentally friendly techniques to remove the constraints of native starch. Additionally, emphasis on characterization methods such as Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to comprehend the correlation between structure and functional characteristics. Modified starch (MS) is a preferred one for numerous applications in industries such as pharmaceutical, food, starch-based electronics, and health, like metabolic and cognitive health, because of its favorable functional and physicochemical properties. Finally, this article looks at the challenges and regulatory issues that the starch industry must deal with.