Abstract In this study, amaranth starch was extracted by high-impact wet milling and its structural and thermal properties and the effect of NaOH and SDS concentrations on extraction yield were evaluated. The best condition was 55 g of starch/100 g of amaranth, with a decrease from 2.5 to 3.5 kJ/g using different milling energies. The decrease in the protein content of the starch granule is due to an effect of the interaction between surfactant and alkali, preventing the destruction of granules. All starches presented a degree of crystallinity between 21 and 28%. The internal structural changes of the starch granule were monitored by attenuated total reflectance - Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) in the region of 990 to 1060 cm −1 . Spectra showed significant differences between the peaks at 1032 and 1005 cm −1 , corresponding to the crystalline/amorphous region of the starch structure. Changes in viscosity profiles were observed between 0.302 and 1.163 Pa s.