Structural, physicochemical, and techno‐functional properties of ultrasound‐treated chickpea starch

This study investigated the effects of ultrasonication duration (10, 20, 30, and 40 min) on the physicochemical, functional, structural, thermal, and rheological properties of chickpea starch. Ultrasonication significantly enhanced water absorption capacity (WAC) and oil absorption capacity (OAC), with maximum values observed for U40 (2.13 g/g and 2.19 g/g, respectively), attributed to cavitation‐induced disruption of starch granules. Native starch exhibited the highest swelling power (11.54 g/g) at 95°C, whereas ultrasonicated starches (20–40 min) showed increased swelling up to 85°C followed by a decline, indicating reduced granule stability at elevated temperatures. Light transmittance progressively decreased with increasing ultrasonication time and further declined during storage, reflecting enhanced molecular reassociation. Pasting properties were markedly altered, with peak viscosity decreasing from 3220 to 2080 cP along with reductions in breakdown and setback viscosities, suggesting improved paste stability and lower retrogradation tendency. SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses confirmed that ultrasonication induced grooves, pores, and surface cracks on starch granules, altered the short‐range molecular order, and reduced the relative crystallinity without changing the C‐type crystalline pattern.