The least change in paste viscosity was found when water was used as a plasticizer. Viscosity of the modified starches decreased as the molecular weight of plasticizers decreased. Plasticizer content in starch granules increased with decreasing molecular weight of the plasticizer, as well as with increased soaking time (from 10 min to 4 and 24 h). However, pasting profiles of HMT starches prepared by soaking for 4 h were comparable to those soaked for 24 h, indicating that there was an effective limit of plasticizers