Research Progress on Inhibiting Retrogradation of Corn Starch by Different Physical Modification Methods

Corn starch, as the primary component of corn, is widely favored due to its favorable functional properties and relatively low cost. The characteristics of starch significantly influence the quality of corn-based food products. However, starch retrogradation during processing and storage is inevitable, severely compromising the edible quality of starch-based foods. Consequently, inhibiting corn starch retrogradation has attracted considerable attention. This article reviews the physical methods for inhibiting the retrogradation of corn starch, including single modification methods such as the addition of exogenous substances (phenolic compounds, hydrophilic colloids, proteins, and lipids) and common physical field treatments (hydrothermal treatment, microwave treatment, screw extrusion treatment, and ultra-high pressure treatment), as well as the synergistic physical modification methods. It also deeply analyzes the mechanism of these modification methods in inhibiting starch retrogradation. The aim is to provide references for enhancing the quality of corn starch-based foods and related experimental studies.