[6] Fiber X-ray diffraction analysis coupled with computer-based structure refinement has found A-, B-, and C- polymorphs of amylose.

[6] The higher the amylose content, the less expansion potential and the lower the gel strength for the same starch concentration.

[13] The digestive enzyme α-amylase breaks down starch molecules into maltotriose and maltose, which can be used as sources of energy.

Amylose is also an important thickener, water binder, emulsion stabilizer, and gelling agent in industrial and food-based contexts.

When other things, including amylopectin, bind to amylose, the viscosity can be affected, but incorporating κ-carrageenan, alginate, xanthan gum, or low-molecular-weight sugars can reduce the loss in stability.

The ability to bind water can add substance to food, possibly serving as a fat replacement.

[14] For example, amylose is responsible for causing white sauce to thicken, but, upon cooling, the solid and the water will partly separate.

Iodine molecules fit neatly inside the helical structure of amylose, binding with the starch polymer that absorbs certain known wavelengths of light.

If starch is mixed with a small amount of yellow iodine solution, a blue-black color will be observed.

The intensity of the color can be tested with a colorimeter, using a red filter to discern the concentration of starch present in the solution.

[22] Genetically modified potato cultivar Amflora by BASF Plant Science was developed to not produce amylose.