Abstract: Resistant starch is a new type of dietary fiber that cannot be digested or absorbed in the healthy human small intestine, but be partially or entirely fermented by bacteria in the large intestine to produce short-chain fatty acids and lactic acid as well as small amounts of gases. In recent years, resistant starch has attracted extensive attention from researchers in the fields of food science and nutrition due to its special structure and intestinal flora-regulating function. This paper mainly reviews the recent advances in research on the structural properties and intestinal flora-regulating function of resistant starch. The apparent structures, crystal structures and molecular structures of different types of resistant starch are compared. The prebiotic effect and intestinal flora-regulating function are described. Furthermore, the effects of the structural characteristics of resistant starch on its intestinal flora-regulating function are discussed. This review can provide a theoretical basis and scientific guidance for the development of resistant starch with specific structural properties to regulate the intestinal flora.

Key words: resistant starch, apparent structure, crystal structure, molecular structure, intestinal flora-regulating function