Orientador: Cláudio Cabello / Banca: Fernando Broetto / Banca: Paulo Cesar Razuk / Banca: Ivo Mottin Demiate / Banca: Celia Maria Landi Franco / Resumo: As maltodextrinas sao produtos da hidrolise parcial do amido e tem sido largamente usadas nas industrias de alimentos em muitos tipos de alimentos processados. Maltodextrinas sao classificadas de acordo com o grau de hidrolise do amido, que e expressa em dextrose equivalente (DE). Varias propriedades funcionais, como docura, solubilidade e viscosidade variam de acordo com a degradacao enzimatica e a fonte botanica do amido, e somente a caracterizacao pela dextrose equivalente (DE) se tornou inadequada para orientar a utilizacao das maltodextrinas em varias aplicacoes. Levando em consideracao a importancia das maltodextrinas para o mercado de alimentos, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar estudos sobre o processo de producao e o comportamento das maltodextrinas de mandioca e batata-doce e tambem de compara-las com produtos comerciais. Os amidos das referidas tuberosas foram analisados quanto as suas caracteristicas fisico-quimicas, difracao de raios-X e microscopia optica e eletronica de varredura. Suspensoes de amidos de mandioca e batata-doce, a concentracao de 30%, foram submetidas a hidrolise enzimatica pela enzima ¿-amilase em um reator a diferentes tempos de hidrolise e diferentes niveis de agitacao. Em seguida, foram secas em gspray dryerh e analisadas quanto as suas propriedades fisicas e quimicas, funcionais, reologicas e por difracao de raios-X, alem de serem observadas em microscopio eletronico de varredura. A analise das variaveis do processo indicou maior influencia do tempo de hidrolise na dextrose equivalente (DE) das maltodextrinas de mandioca e batata-doce, sendo que a interacao, tempo de hidrolise e agitacao influenciou na sua solubilidade e viscosidade. As maltodextrinas de mandioca e batata-doce apresentaram DE que variaram de 5,5 a 11,3 e 17,0 a 22,9, respectivamente. As maltodextrinas apresentaram alta solubilidade em... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Maltodextrins are obtained from partial hydrolysis of the starch, and have been widely used in industries due to their broad usage in processed food. Maltodextrins are classified by degree of hydrolysis of starch, which is expressed by dextrose equivalent (DE). Many of their functional properties, like sweetness, solubility and viscosity vary according to enzymatic degradation and botanic source of the starch. Due to the wide uses, dextrose equivalent becomes inadequate to predict the efficiency of maltodextrins in many applications. Considering the importance of maltrodextrins for the food market, the objective of this work was to study the production process and the behavior of cassava and sweet potato maltodextrins, as well as compare them with commercial products. Starches of each tuber were analyzed as to their physiochemical characteristics, X-ray diffraction and optic and scanning electron microscopy. Cassava and sweet potato starches suspensions at 30% concentration underwent enzymatic hydrolysis by an á-amylase enzyme in a reactor considering different times of hydrolysis and levels of agitation. Next, starches were spray dried and analyzed as to their physiochemical, functional, rheological properties and X-ray diffraction, as well as scanning electron microscopy observation. Process variables analysis indicated higher influence of the hydrolysis time in the dextrose equivalent (DE) of sweet potato and cassava maltodextrins, the interaction of between hydrolysis time and agitation influencing in the solubility and viscosity. Cassava and sweet-potato maltodextrins presented DE varying from 5.5 to 11.3 and 17.0 to 22.9, respectively. Maltodextrins presented water solubility in all studied conditions and viscosity was influenced by the hydrolysis level and concentration of the solution. A Newton behavior has been observed in cassava and sweet potato maltodextrins... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor