The thermal conductivity (k) of gelatinized high-amylose and high-amylopectin starches was determined, using the heated probe method. The granular starches, mixed with distilled water at 1 to 4 kg water/kg dry solids, were gelatinized at 120-degrees-C. Similar k values which varied from 0.434 to 0.548 W/mK in the temperature range 30 to 70-degrees-C were obtained for both starch gels. Experimental data were fitted to six structural models, representing various geometrices for mixtures of water and dry starch. The perpendicular model, based on heat conduction in series through layers of dry starch and water, yielded best correlations. The predicted thermal conductivity of dry gelatinized starch (k(s)) increased linearly with temperature T (K) according to the equation: k(s) = 0.210 + 0.410 x 10(-3) T, W/mK
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