Crystallites in starches

After hydration, a rise in temperature causes disruption of internal structure, for example crystallites in starch or folded structure in proteins. The extent to which this is achieved is determined primarily by a specific cooperative melting event, whose temperature is dependent upon moisture content and applied pressure. If these critical conditions are reached by any part of the flow stream, then shear can cause further fragmentation of both starch granules and the polymers released from them, whereas for proteins or their dissociated subunits, molecular weights remain largely imchanged. A polymer continuous melt is formed in both cases. 

---