(C)
Irradiation of starches: It was carried out with gamma rays from a Co-60 source. Applied doses were 10, 25 and 50 kGy, at a dose rate of 5.56 Gy s−1.The starches in dry state were packed in closed polyethylene flasks without removing the air in the headspace. The temperature in the irradiation chamber never surpassed 30 °C. The dosimetry was performed by means of dichromate dosimeters for high doses. The homogeneity of dose within the samples was of 30%. In all cases irradiated and non-irradiated samples were processed and tested in the same batch.