Abstract: The effect of cellulose nanocrystals on the short-term retrogradation of sweet potato starch with were determined by using a rapid visco analyzer(RVA)and a rheometer. The setback values significantly lower than that of native starch with 0.03,0.06,0.09,0.12,0.15 g of cellulose nanocrystals adding to 1.5 g of sweet potato starch. The results of static shear rheological test showed that the rheological properties of cellulose nanocrystals-sweet potato starch paste were consistent with the power-law model and called as pseudoplastic fluid. Furthermore,the declining trend of shear stress was observed by increasing addition dosage of cellulose nanocrystals. The consistency coefficient K was decreased and the fluid index n was increased. The dynamical visco elastic experiment showed that cellulose nanocrystals enhanced the fluidity of the complex. Cellulose nanocrystals are promising inhibitor of starch short-term retrogradation.