Fuente: Polymers Polymers, Vol. 17, Pages 3257: Modified Tuber Starches as Sustainable Biopolymers for the Encapsulating Bioactive Compounds: A Comprehensive Review
Polymers doi: 10.3390/polym17243257
Authors:
César Samaniego-Rafaele
Rebeca Salvador-Reyes
Grimaldo Quispe-Santivañez
Maritza Barriga-Sánchez

Modified tuber starches have gained relevance as innovative and versatile materials for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, distinguishing themselves from synthetic polymers due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable functionality. This review analyzes the effects of physical, chemical, and biochemical modifications on the composition and morphological, rheological, thermal, and techno-functional properties of tuber starches, as well as their development prospects as coating materials in encapsulation techniques such as spray drying, freeze-drying, electrospinning, and emulsification. The evidence reviewed indicates that modified tuber starches exhibit reduced retrogradation, higher thermal resistance, improved solubility, and better digestibility, facilitating their application as protective agents. The main challenges for their industrial implementation are identified and analyzed, including the standardization of processes, scalability, and the ambiguous regulatory framework. In the future, research in this area should be directed toward the optimization of “clean-label” methodologies and the valorization of non-conventional tuber sources, thereby consolidating the development of safer, more effective, and more sustainable encapsulation systems for the food industry.