Natural Starch in Biomedical and Food Industry: Perception and Overview

Abstract

Utilization of native starch is increasing globally because of its wide distribution and natural occurrence. Starch is mainly abundant in tubers and food grains. Scientific research on starch is increasing in recent years due to its unique physiochemical and biomedical properties. Native starch is an emerging biopolymer and copolymer in the biomedical and pharmaceutical areas due to its renewability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and relative inexpensiveness. Today, there is an increasing interest in natural starches to design and produce diverse products due to their pertinent structural properties and non-toxicity. Due to these attributes, these natural polymers are becoming functional core materials in the biomedical industry, construction materials, medicine industry, food industry, food packaging, and carrier for active drugs. In this paper, we mainly attempt to analyze the physicochemical attributions and the biomedical applications on native or non-conventional starches obtained from the natural botanical sources.