1. Gelatinization is the process where starch granules swell and disrupt their organized structure as they absorb water when heated in a moist environment.
2. Viscosity is the resistance to flow. As more swollen starch granules break apart during heating and mixing, more starch molecules are released, causing an increase in thickness and viscosity.
3. Retrogradation is the process where starch molecules, particularly amylose, re-associate into an ordered crystalline structure after disruption during gelatinization.