DETERMINATION OF REACTION CONDITIONS AND KINETICS IN CASSAVA STARCH ACETYLLATION

Abstract

The aim of the work is to experimentally determine the best reaction conditions for acetylation of cassava starch in aqueous basic medium with acetic anhydride as esterifying agent, starting from native and pregelatinized cassava starch and the full kinetic expression when the starting material is pregelatinized starch for the reactor design and evaluation. It was determined that, in order to achieve an adequate functional behavior in the final product, the best conditions are achieved starting from pregelatinized starch in aqueous suspension at concentration of 10 % w/v, with a molar anhydrous/glucose anhydrous unit ratio of 0,5 or higher at 40°C, without gelatinization at the above mentioned concentration. The variables that have the greatest influence are the type of starch, the molar ratio in feeding and the temperature in that order. The interactions between the variables considered have significant and positive effects. The kinetic is of the first order with respect to the active pre-gelatinized starch and to the anhydride and of the second global order. The kinetic constants at fixed temperatures resulted in K1, 25°C = 0.0061 L/mol min and K 1, 40°C = 0.0213 L/mol min. The activation energy and frequency factor for this reaction resulted in: E1= 10113.5 J/mol and K01= 0.17 L/mol min. The acetylation reactor size is minimized when the initial concentration of anhydride and temperature are increased.