A Professor of Industrial Chemistry at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Prof. Adeleke Ashogbon, has underscored the health and industrial benefits of modified starches, saying they play a significant role in the treatment and management of cardiovascular diseases, among other human needs.
Ashogbon explained that resistant starches in modified forms are structurally altered in a way that makes them indigestible by enzymes in the small intestine.
According to him, they are later broken down in the large intestine into short-chain fatty acids, which help in controlling diabetes, obesity, cancer and other cardiovascular-related conditions.
The professor made the submission on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, while delivering the university’s 52nd inaugural lecture titled “From Root to Revolution: The Chemistry and Innovation of Modified Starches.”
He advised that starchy foods should be consumed cold, noting that hot starchy foods contain lower amounts of beneficial resistant starch.
He added that once starchy foods are cooled, they retain most of the retrograded starch even when reheated.
Speaking on the dietary and industrial relevance of starch, Ashogbon said modified starches are produced by altering the chemistry of native starches obtained from botanical sources such as legumes, cereals, roots, tubers and unripe fruits.
He noted that the modified versions contain higher levels of resistant starch and possess enhanced functional properties suitable for food and industrial applications.
“Modified starches are natural starches – from wheat and potato, for example – altered by physical, chemical or enzymatic processes to enhance specific properties such as texture, stability, viscosity and resistance to heat or acid. This enables their use as versatile food additives – thickeners, stabilisers, emulsifiers – and in industrial, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications,” he said.
The don disclosed that although native starches are readily available, affordable, non-toxic and easy to modify, they lack certain properties and functionalities, making them unsuitable for direct application in many industries.
He added that native starches also contain insufficient resistant starch to deliver significant health benefits, stressing the need for modification to improve both resistant starch content and functional performance for wider applications.
On their uses, he said applications of modified starches vary based on botanical source and processing conditions.
“Applications of modified starches depend on many factors, including their botanical source and the specific processing conditions. Single-modified starches are used in the food industry for thickening, gelling, stabilisation, fat replacement and pre-gelatinised instant products.
“Dual chemically modified starches are widely used as emulsifiers, binders and thickeners in food, and as heavy metal absorbents in non-food industries.
“Quadruple modified starches are used in synthesising resistant starches for preventing obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, they are utilised in preparing porous starches applied as organic adsorbents in water purification and heavy metal removal.”
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, said the university’s inaugural lecture series provides a platform for scholars to present authoritative accounts of their research contributions to societal development.
He commended Prof. Ashogbon for his commitment to the university’s vision, attributing his achievements to dedication to innovative research and service to the academic community.
0 Comments