Gelatinization and retrogradation behaviors of the aqueous starch/iota-carrageenan composite system (0.5 w/v% starch and 0.2% carrageenan) were investigated. Purified iota-carrageenan in sodium form was mixed with corn starch in the presence or absence of various salts. Functions of iota-carrageenan on starch depended on salts added. During gelatinization, the addition of iota-carrageenan lowered the incipient swelling temperature of the composite system with decreased peak viscosity in the absence of added salts and in the presence of monovalent cations, while the temperature increased in the presence of divalent cations. It also increased the rate constant for short-term (