Starch Branching Determination Service

Starch is one of the most important energy storage polysaccharides in plants and is composed of amylose and amylopectin. The branching structure of starch determines its physicochemical properties and application performance, including solubility, gelatinization characteristics, viscosity, anti-aging property, and digestion rate. Starches from different sources and processed or modified under different conditions exhibit significant differences in their branching ratio and distribution. The branching degree is an important parameter that reflects the complexity of the starch molecular structure. It reveals the branching density, α-1,6 glycosidic bond content, and molecular arrangement pattern, which are crucial for understanding the structure–function relationship of starch.

 

The branching structure not only affects the thermal stability and crystallinity of starch but also determines its application in food, agriculture, materials science, and biomedicine. For example, starch with a higher branching degree usually shows good gelatinization characteristics and low retrogradation tendency, while samples with a lower branching degree are more likely to form gels or enzyme-resistant structures. Therefore, accurate determination of the starch branching structure is a key step in studying the structure–function relationship of starch, optimizing processing technology, and developing functional starch products.

 

Based on high-resolution chromatography and molecular structure analysis platforms, MtoZ Biolabs provides a professional Starch Branching Determination Service for global clients. Our service combines multiple complementary analytical methods, including the enzymatic debranching combined with HPAEC-PAD method, the enzymatic debranching combined with reducing sugar ratio method, and the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method. These methods can accurately analyze the α-1,6 bond ratio and branching characteristics of starch from different perspectives, providing reliable data support for scientific and industrial applications.

 

Services at MtoZ Biolabs

MtoZ Biolabs provides a multidimensional starch branching determination service covering microstructural analysis to overall molecular structure characterization. The following table summarizes the commonly used methods:

Method	Principle	Advantage
Enzymatic debranching combined with HPAEC-PAD	Specific debranching enzymes (Isoamylase or Pullulanase) cleave the α-1,6 glycosidic bonds in starch, converting branched chains into linear oligosaccharides. Subsequently, high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) separates oligosaccharide chains of different degrees of polymerization (DP) and quantitatively analyzes the ratio of short and long chains.	High sensitivity and resolution, capable of clearly distinguishing chains of different lengths. Quantitative results are accurate and reproducible, making it the internationally mainstream method for starch branching structure analysis.
Enzymatic debranching combined with reducing sugar ratio method	After debranching enzyme hydrolysis of α-1,6 glycosidic bonds, the increase of reducing sugars is measured to calculate the proportion of branching bonds in total glycosidic bonds, thereby evaluating the branching degree of starch.	Simple and low-cost method suitable for preliminary screening and relative comparison between samples, with good reproducibility and practicality.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)	¹³C or ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance is used to analyze the chemical shift differences of different bond types in starch molecules and calculate the ratio of α-1,6 bonds to α-1,4 bonds.	Non-destructive analysis without chemical modification that directly reflects molecular linkage information. Suitable for high-purity or specific starch structural studies.

 

Through multiple complementary methods, MtoZ Biolabs can comprehensively reveal the branching density, branching pattern, and their correlation with structural and functional properties of starch, providing the most suitable analytical scheme for different sample types.

 

Analysis Workflow

1. Sample Pretreatment

The sample is ground and homogenized, and gelatinized if necessary to ensure solubility and uniformity.

 

2. Enzymatic Reaction

Isoamylase or Pullulanase is added under appropriate conditions for debranching to generate linear oligosaccharide chains.

 

3. Separation and Detection

HPAEC-PAD, NMR, or the reducing sugar ratio method is used for quantitative analysis.

 

4. Data Analysis

The α-1,6 glycosidic bond ratio is calculated based on the calibration curve or chemical shift signals, and the branching degree results and structural distribution profiles are obtained.

 

Service Advantages

1. Multi-technology Combination

MtoZ Biolabs integrates chromatographic and spectroscopic platforms to flexibly select the most suitable detection method according to sample characteristics, ensuring result accuracy and comparability.

 

2. High-resolution Detection

The HPAEC-PAD system provides excellent separation performance, clearly distinguishing oligosaccharides with different degrees of polymerization and achieving precise quantification of branching structures.

 

3. Comprehensive Structural Information

By combining enzymatic debranching and NMR analysis, both micro-level chain ratio and molecular-level structural information can be obtained, comprehensively revealing the branching characteristics of starch.

 

Applications

✔️ Food Science Research: Study the effects of different processing methods (such as extrusion, heating, cooling, and retrogradation) on starch branching structure.

✔️ Plant Breeding and Raw Material Screening: Compare starch branching differences among different crop varieties or mutants to support breeding improvement.

✔️ Modified Starch Development: Evaluate the effects of chemical or enzymatic modification on starch branching density and chain length structure.

✔️ Nutrition and Functional Research: Explore the role of branching structure in starch digestibility and resistant starch formation.

✔️ Quality Control and Standard Formulation: Used for structural consistency detection and batch comparison analysis of starch raw materials and products.

 

Sample Submission Suggestions

Item	Details
Sample Type	Must be starch samples. Clients may provide purified starch or raw material samples (such as cereals, tubers, legumes, etc.), and MtoZ Biolabs can extract starch (extraction service charged separately).
Biological Replicates	It is recommended to set ≥3 biological replicates per sample to ensure data reliability.
Sample Amount	Starch sample ≥ 1 g; raw material sample ≥ 50 g (for extraction).
Sample Preparation	Samples should be placed in sealed tubes labeled with name, concentration, and preparation date. The tube mouth should be sealed with Parafilm to prevent leakage. It is recommended to fix sample tubes in 50 mL centrifuge tubes and pack them in sealed bags.
Transportation and Storage	Use dry ice or ice packs for shipping, and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Samples should be protected from light, moisture, and high temperature.

 

Deliverables

1. Quantitative results of starch branching degree (α-1,6 bond content)

2. HPAEC-PAD or NMR detection chromatograms

3. Comparison table of branching degree among different samples

4. Quality control and calibration data

5. Complete analytical report (including principle, conditions, results, and interpretation)

 

Please contact us to obtain starch branching determination service and let precise structural data support your scientific research and product innovation.