Revolutionizing starch modification: the role of genetic engineering in enhancing starch properties for sustainable industrial applications – A review

The modification of botanical starches is crucial for improving their properties for industrial use. Traditional methods like physical, chemical, and enzymatic modifications enhance starch characteristics, such as viscosity and stability, but often lack precision and scalability. Genetic modification, particularly through genome editing and molecular breeding, offers better control over starch biosynthesis, enabling the creation of customized starches with improved properties. By altering genes involved in starch synthesis, such as starch synthases and branching enzymes, genetic modification allows for precise changes in starch composition and structure. This leads to starches with enhanced thermal stability, reduced retrogradation, better digestibility, and broader applications in food, bioplastics, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, genetic modification can overcome limitations of traditional methods, including environmental and regulatory issues. This review emphasizes the advantages of genetic modification in producing sustainable, functional starch alternatives and addresses challenges such as regulatory concerns, environmental impact, and public acceptance.