Chemical modification of starch involves the polymer molecules
of the starch granule in its native form. Modification is generally
achieved through derivatization such as etherification, esterification
and crosslinking, oxidation, cationization and grafting of
starch. However, there has been dearth of new methods in chemical
modifications as this kind of modification gives rise to issues concerning
consumers and the environment. There has been a trend to
combine different kinds of chemical treatments to create new kinds
of modifications. Similarly, chemical methods have been combined
with physical modifications such as microwave, radiation and
extrusion to produce modified starch with specific functional
properties. Overall advantages of these modifications were to
shorten the time of modification and increase production.
Some of the recent chemical modifications that have been