Preparation of starch-vitamin E complexes using electron beam irradiation pretreatment in synergy with ultra-high pressure: enhancing physicochemical and functional properties

The low water solubility and poor thermal stability of Vitamin E (VE) limit its application in food processing. This study investigated the effects of the synergistic combination of electron beam irradiation (EBI) at doses of 0, 5, and 10 KGy and ultra-high pressure (UHP) at 100, 300, and 500 MPa on the preparation of potato starch-VE complexes. EBI pretreatment significantly reduced the degree of branching and enhanced complexation, antioxidant activity, and resistant starch (RS) content in a dose-dependent manner, whereas increasing UHP pressure progressively diminished these attributes. The combination of 10 KGy EBI with 100 MPa UHP yielded the highest RS content (67.24%) and DPPH scavenging activity (85.02%). XRD analysis indicated no V-type crystalline formation, suggesting weak but sustained complexation. The parameter-dependent effects of EBI and UHP offers a promising approach to produce starch-VE complexes with improved antioxidant capacity and digestion resistance, benefiting functional food development for diabetics.