Amylose is a straight chain polysaccharide having D-glucose units joined together by alpha-glycosidic linkages between C-1 of one glucose and C-4 of next glucose. It has 100 to 300 D-glucose units.
Amylose makes up about a fifth of the starch. The remainder, called amylopectin, consists of still larger molecules also constructed from glucose units.
Most plant starches contain between 15 to 25% amylose, present as crystalline and amorphous forms in endosperm granules.
Amorphous amylose can leach from granules following hydration by water and the soluble amylose chains can adopt either helical structures or parallel alignments arising from reformation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds.
High-amylose starches are of great interest for the starch industry; for example, the development of starch based films for their unique functional properties.
Amylose has the unique feature of forming complexes with a variety of molecules, Monoacyl lipids and emulsifiers as well as smaller ligands such as alcohols or flavor compounds are able to induce the formation of left-handed amylose single helices, also known as V amylose.
The specific interactions of amylose with lipids or flavor compounds have a strong impact on food quality. Such complexion could also have important potential in the field of health foods when applied to protection and vectoring of vitamins and micronutrients.
Amylose is very poorly soluble in water at room temperature. It readily forms helices in water, of which at least part are double helices.
These helices tend to align, forming parallel stacks that may be considered microcrystallites. As much as of the amylose may become crystalline.
In more concentrated amylose solutions, a gel will be formed.
Amylose in food
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