AbstractBACKGROUNDThe granular integrity of starch granules is affected by the mechanical action of the milling‐process, thus producing what is called damaged starch (DS). The effect of DS on bakery products was extensively studied, but there is not much information about the effect of this minor flour component on batter‐type products in which there is a high amount of sucrose. The objective of this work was to study the influence of damaged wheat‐starch on starch and starch–gluten systems dispersed in water and sucrose 500 g kg−1 solution.RESULTSThermal and pasting properties and the viscoelastic behavior of the systems were evaluated. Gelatinization enthalpy decreased when DS amount increased in the samples in both solvents. In starch–gluten systems, the degree of influence of DS on the gelatinization enthalpy was solvent‐dependent. The presence of gluten minimized the effect of DS on the gelatinization process in water. The viscosity profile of starch and starch–gluten samples was reduced in both solvents when DS level increased. The influence of DS on the viscosity profile was solvent‐dependent in starch–gluten systems. The presence of gluten lessened the influence of DS on the viscosity profile during the pasting process in sucrose solution. Higher DS levels decreased the viscoelastic behavior of the systems in both solvents and further reduced the viscoelastic behavior of the systems in sucrose solution.CONCLUSIONThese results contribute to understanding the influence of the DS levels on the batter properties of flour‐based batter‐type products, mainly those generated on starch and gluten–starch systems dispersed in sucrose solution. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.