OBTENÇÃO, CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA, OXIDAÇÃO E APLICAÇÃO DE NANOCRISTAIS DE AMIDOS DE Phaseolus vulgaris L. (FEIJÃO), DE Manihot esculenta Crantz (MANDIOCA) E DE Zea mays L. (MILHO) EM EMULSÕES PICKERING

Abstract

The nanocrystals of starch are particles of nanometric size that have been studied, since they are abundant, biodegradable, non-toxic and with relative low cost. However, the tendency to form micrometricsize aggregates limits the technological application; therefore, chemical oxidation with sodium hypochlorite may be an alternative for limiting such unwanted behavior. These nanocrystals can be used as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions, systems where particle size is a prime factor for stability. Cassava and maize starches are abundant and cheap, while bean starch, although an interesting and promising technological product, is not yet commercially available. The present work had as objective the production and characterization of nanocrystals from cassava, bean and corn starches, following chemical oxidation of the nanocrystals and using them as emulsion stabilizers. The nanocrystals were obtained by hydrolysis with sulfuric acid and oxidized with sodium hypochlorite. The emulsions were prepared using soybean oil and water. Bean starch was less susceptible to hydrolysis, followed by maize and cassava starches. In both botanical sources the acid hydrolysis greatly reduced the amylose content in the nanoparticles. Oxidation increased the zeta potential of all the nanocrystals, besides the value of polydispersity decreased. A peak at 1,735 cm-1 was detected by means of mid-infrared spectroscopy, which is characteristic of the free carboxyl group (acid form - COOH), expected on oxidized starches. Cassava and corn starches have Atype crystallinity pattern, as their nanocrystals. For bean starch, the original C-Atype crystallinity pattern remained for the non-oxidized nanocrystals but changed for A-type after oxidation. After hydrolysis, the relative crystallinity increased for nanocrystals, but decreased after oxidation. The exception was for bean starch that resulted in oxidized nanocrystals with higher relative crystallinity. Oxidized samples are considered as colloidal when compared to non-oxidized ones. Nanocrystals did not show detectable endothermic peak on DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) analysis. The microscopic analysis of the nanocrystals showed round or oval particles, independently of the botanical source and of oxidation treatment. In general, the oxidation of nanocrystals improved their emulsification index. The emulsification index was higher for the emulsions with larger amounts of oil, even though the average diameter of the droplets increased in this situation. The polydispersity index ranged from 1.6 for 1: 1 (water to oil ratio), stabilized with 5% oxidized cassava nanocrystal, up to 3.5 for 1: 3 (water to oil ratio), stabilized with 1% of oxidized bean nanocrystal.