Structure and Properties of Amylose

Amylose is a chain polymer of a-D-gluco-pyranosyl residues linked 1 4  

The double helix mentioned above and shown in Fig. 4.34 can, depending on conditions, change into other helical conformations. 

Cereal starches are stabilized by the enclosed lipid molecules, so their swelling power is low. The swelling is improved in the presence of alcohols (ethanol, amyl alcohol, tert-amyl alcohol). Obviously, these alcohols are dislodging and removing the guest lipids from the helices. 

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