Not all starch that is ingested into the human body is digested into D-glucose – the portion that defies this process is referred to as resistant starch (RS) where chemically and mechanically, five different forms have been identified. Regardless of the form, an extensive breadth of health benefits has been associated with the consumption of RS. These include the potential of RS becoming part of weight and diabetes management plans as well as improved colon health and prevention of colon cancer. Therefore, in the past decade, there has been a significant amount of research into how RS concentrations can be increased in various food systems, which have had varying degrees of success; however, are limited to either enzymatic, thermal, or acidic alterations to starch. In a similar fashion, chemical methods of RS measurement have also received a considerable amount of change and enhancement over time, though with most of them to some extent attempting to replicate human carbohydrate digestion.
Part of the book: Chemical Properties of Starch