The film forming behaviour and hydrophobicity of high amylose (HA) starch in the presence of three different natural waxes (beeswax, candelilla wax and carnauba wax) were studied in the presence and absence of Tween-80. The HA starch:glycerol (G) ratio was maintained at 80:20 (on dry solid basis) and the concentration of wax was varied from 5% and 10% (w/w). The melted wax samples were homogenized with HAG dispersion with or without Tween-80 and the films were prepared by solution casting. The hydrophobicity and water-barrier properties in these films were determined by using contact angle (CA), water vapour permeability (K-w) tests, and water sorption isotherm at 0.529 RH and 20 C. The K-w,, values of the HAG films decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with the addition of 5% concentration of these waxes. Then the addition of Tween-80 to the HAG + wax films increased the K,,, values significantly (p < 0.05). The presence of these waxes in the presence and absence of Tween-80 resulted into different sorption isotherms and the water adsorptivity and moisture diffusion coefficient values were also affected. The presence of Tween-80 increased the CA in HAG + carnauba wax films while the CA was found to decrease in the case of other two waxes. The highest hydrophobicity was observed in HAG + carnauba wax + Tween-80 films in which the CA was >80.0 degrees both at 5% and 10% (w/w) wax concentration. These higher CA values in HAG + carnauba wax + Tween-80 films were found to be related to the higher surface roughness in these films. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.