Morphological features and internal structure of waxy wheat starch

Morphological features,crystalline properties and internal structure of waxy wheat starch were compared with those of normal wheat starch using polarization microscope,scanning electron microscopy( SEM),X ray diffraction( XRD) and confocal laser scanning microscope( CLSM). The morphologies,granule populations,crystalline properties and internal structure were found to be similar with the two starches.However,the surface of waxy wheat starch granules was not smooth,more holes were observed on the surface. A- type starch granules were basically the same,however,waxy wheat starch contained a smaller proportion of B- type granules. XRD results shows that both starches exhibit A type crystalline structure and waxy wheat starch had higher degree of crystallinity than normal wheat starch.Growth ring structures can be clearly identified by CLSM and amylose mainly concentrated in particles near the center.