An overview of separation methods in starch analysis: The importance of size exclusion chromatography and field flow fractionation

Starch is the most important source of human food energy and also an important polymer for biofuels, processed food, and pharmaceutical industries. Precise determination of structural and functional properties of starch has been an outstanding factor for the improvement of dissolution and degradation processes, which are important procedures for commercial applications. Distinct separation techniques coupled with multiple detection methods such as Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), Field Flow fractionation (FFF), Analytical Ultracentrifugation, and Hydrodynamic Chromatography have provided powerful information about starch conformation. In the present review, we describe the usefulness and limitations of different separation methods particularly SEC and FFF, which are currently widely used.