Characterisation of starches from West African yams

Starches from four varieties of West African yams were extracted and characterised. The physicochemical properties investigated (granule size and morphology, amylose content, crystal form, gelatinisation and pasting behaviour) depended strongly on the yam variety. The starch granules extracted from water yam (Dioscorea alata), white yam (D rotundata) and yellow yam (D cayensis) varieties showed mononodal particle size distributions centred between 31 and 35 µm, while the bitter yam (D dumetorum) exhibited a binodal size distribution of starch granules centred at 4.5 and 9 µm. Light microscopy confirmed the variation in starch granule size and shape with yam variety. The X-ray diffractogram of yellow yam was of the B type, while bitter yam showed an A pattern. The starches extracted from the white and water yams were of the intermediate C-type patterns. The temperatures of onset of gelatinisation were derived from DSC and RVA measurements; values of 69.4 and 75.0 °C for the yellow yam, 71.5 and 78.2 °C for the white yam, 76.5 and 79.8 °C for the water yam and 78.1 and 83.1 °C for the bitter yam were obtained. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

The bread baking quality of six wheat starches differing in composition and physical properties

Starch was isolated from six types of wheat and separated into large A-granule and small B-granule fractions which exhibited a suitable range of properties. Respective amylose contents were 28.6–31.0% and 25.1–31.5%, lysophospholipids 707–1014mg 100 g^?1, and 1058–1398 mg 100 g^?1, and gelatinisation temperatures (GT) by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) 58.4–62.7°C and 60.5–64.5°C. The A- and B-granule fractions were remixed in various proportions and reconstituted with freeze-dried gluten and freeze-dried water-solubles from flour to test the effects of changes in the properties of the total starch, A-granule or B-granule fractions, and the effects of various proportions of B-granules on the quality of bread. The specific volumes of the loaves were not affected by starch amylose or lipid content, but were significantly correlated with either the GT of the total starches or their A-granules. The optimum proportion of B-granules was 25–35% by weight, but their GT had no effect on loaf specific volume. Staling changes were quantified from crumb compressibility measurements and the enthalpy of the endotherm for gelatinisation of retrograded amylopectin in stored breadcrumb, measured by DSC. Initial and limiting moduli of crumb firmness were correlated with loaf specific volume and starch GT, but rate and time constants calculated from the Avrami equation were independent. Rate and time constants and limiting enthalpy values calculated from the DSC results were independent of all other measured parameters.     

Supramolecular structure of A- and B-type granules of wheat starch

The supramolecular structure of the A- and B-type granules of wheat starch was compared. Polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to study the granular, crystalline, and short-range structures. The A- and B-type granules displayed a typical A-type crystalline structure with the degrees of crystallinity of 31.95% and 29.38% respectively. In addition, the B-type granules had some V-type crystallites. The nanostructure and fractals were characterized by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), which showed that the average thickness of the lamellae of the A-type granules was larger, while the B-type granules possessed a higher degree of ordering in the lamellar regions. A second order reflection was found in both A- and B-type granules, which was proposed due to the crystalline lamellae of the semicrystalline lamellae. The A- and B-type granules had mass and surface fractal structures respectively.     

Multi‐scale structural and digestion properties of wheat starches with different amylose contents

The physicochemical and digestion properties of three wheat starches with different amylose contents were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed they displayed a spherical disc‐like form, a lenticular shape and an irregular morphology, respectively. Compared with waxy and normal wheat starches, high‐amylose wheat starch (HAWS) was characterised by the presence of lower molecular weight amylose fraction, and its granules demonstrated the highest resistance to the cooking. The changes in the IR ratio 1022/999–1047/1022 cm^?1 following the gel storage suggested the molecules of HAWS are more readily to re‐associate and re‐organise into a more organised status than other two starches. The determination of glucose release showed that HAWS had the lowest digestion kinetics (P < 0.001), and this difference in the digestion properties between HAWS and the other two starches might imply that starch molecular structure, in particular amylose structure is another key factor for manipulating starch digestion property rather than amylose content alone.     

Structural properties and gelatinisation characteristics of potato and cassava starches and mutants thereof

The molecular size of amylopectin (AP) and amylose (AM), AP chain length distribution, crystallinity and granular structure (morphology and granule size distribution) of five wild type potato starches (wtps), five AM free potato starches (amfps), four high-AM potato starches (haps), one wild type cassava starch (wtcs) and one AM free cassava starch (amfcs) were investigated and related to their gelatinisation characteristics. Starches with higher levels of short chains [degree of polymerisation (DP) 6–9 and DP 10–14)] had lower gelatinisation onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and conclusion (T_c) temperatures, whereas higher contents of longer chains (DP 18–25 and DP 25–80) led to higher gelatinisation temperatures. Gelatinisation enthalpies (ΔH) increased with degree of crystallinity. The granules of wtps were larger than those of amfps and haps, respectively. No differences in morphology were observed between wtps and amfps granules, but the haps granules had more irregular surfaces and showed multi-lobed granules.     

Effects of gelatinisation level, gum and transglutaminase on the quality characteristics of rice noodle

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of gelatinisation level, gum (locust bean gum, xanthan gum, 3%) and/or transglutaminase (TG, 0.5%) on quality characteristics of rice noodle. In order to improve the dough forming ability, rice flour was gelatinised at levels of 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. Noodle samples were evaluated in terms of cooking loss, total organic matter (TOM), water absorption, swelling volume, maximum force, colour, sensory properties, pasting properties. Noodle sample with a gelatinisation level of 25% had better cooking and sensory properties. Gum and/or TG were added to this noodle formula. The noodle samples including xanthan gum had better cooking and sensory properties. TG caused a significant decrease in TOM. The samples including locust bean gum had significantly higher maximum force values. Xanthan gum caused decreases in some Rapid ViscoAnalyzer viscosity values of the noodle samples, while locust bean gum caused increases.     

RVA study of mixtures of wheat flour and potato starches with different phosphorus contents

A rapid visco analysis (RVA) system was used to study the pasting properties of mixtures of wheat flour and potato starches with high phosphorus (HPS), medium phosphorus (MPS) and low phosphorus (LPS) contents, different granule sizes and different amylose contents. The peak viscosities, trough and breakdown, final viscosities, setback viscosities and peak times of control potato starches were found to be higher than those of wheat flour. The peak viscosities were increased significantly with increase of potato starches in the mixtures. Thus, the peak times decreased with increase of potato starch in the mixtures. The breakdown viscosities increased significantly with increase of potato starches in the mixtures and the values were found to be higher in HPS-wheat, followed by MPS-wheat and LPS-wheat mixtures. The final viscosities of HPS-wheat mixtures were highest, followed by MPS-wheat and LPS-wheat mixtures. The setback viscosities of LPS-wheat were significantly higher than those of MPS-wheat and HPS-wheat mixtures at 30 to 50% potato.     

Molecular and physicochemical characterisation of starches from yam,cocoyam, cassava,sweet potato and ginger produced in the Ivory Coast

Granule sizes, macromolecular features and thermal and pasting properties of starches from seven tropical sources (Florido, Kponan and Esculenta yams, cocoyam, cassava, sweet potato and ginger) were compared with those of several well‐known cereal, legume and tuber starches. The aim of the study was to characterise some non‐conventional starches with a view to possibly marketing them. Amylose content varied from 148 mg g^?1 in Esculenta starch to 354 mg g^?1 in smooth pea starch. For total starches, weight‐average molar mass (M?_w) ranged between 0.94 × 10⁸ and 1.80 × 10⁸ g mol^?1 for potato and normal maize starches respectively. Gyration radius (R?_G) varied from 157 nm for ginger starch to 209 nm for normal maize starch. Gelatinisation enthalpy (ΔH) ranged between 9.8 and 20.7 J g^?1 for wheat and Florido starches respectively. Gelatinisation peak temperature (T_g) varied from 58.1 °C for wheat starch to 87.3 °C for ginger starch. Native starch granule mean diameter ranged between 5.1 and 44.5 µm for Esculenta and potato starches respectively. Cassava and potato starches had the highest swelling power and dispersed volume fraction at all treatment temperatures, while ginger starch had the lowest. Cocoyam starch had the highest and ginger starch the lowest solubility at 85 and 95 °C. Cassava starch was the most stable under cold storage conditions. Roots and tubers such as ginger and cassava produced in the Ivory Coast are new sources of starches with very interesting properties. Thus these starches could be isolated on an industrial level in order to market them. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Simultaneous,rapid, spectrophotometric determination of total starch,amylose and amylopectin

A novel spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous measurement of total starch, amylose and amylopectin in lipid-free samples has been developed using a diode-array spectrophotometer. It involves measurement of the spectrum of the amylose/amylopectin-iodide complexes at six wavelengths and calculation of amylose and amylopectin concentrations using multi-component analysis and a spreadsheet computer program. This method appears to offer some advantages to previous ‘iodine-blue colour’ assays for the measurement of amylose.     

Impact of annealing on the molecular structure and physicochemical properties of normal,waxy and high amylose bread wheat starches

Starch from normal (CDC teal), high amylose (line 11132) and waxy (99 WAX 27) bread wheat cultivars was isolated and its morphology, composition, structure and properties were studied before and after annealing. Granule diameters, total phosphorus, total amylose, lipid complexed amylose chains, crystallinity, gelatinization temperature range, gelatinization enthalpy, swelling factor (at 90 °C), and amylose leaching (at 90 °C), in the above starches ranged from 2–38 μm, 0.007–0.058%, 26.9–32.3%, 13.4–18.7%, 28.6–42.8%, 12.7–14.3 °C, 11.3–13.3 J/g, 27.6–72.2 and 22.2–26.2%, respectively. Peak viscosity, thermal stability, set-back and susceptibility towards acid hydrolysis followed the order: 99WAX27 > CDC teal > 11132, 11132 > CDC teal > 99WAX27, CDC teal > 99 WAX 27 > 11132, and 99WAX27 > 11132 > CDC teal, respectively. Susceptibility towards α-amylase hydrolysis followed the order: 99 WAX 27 > 11132 > CDC teal (<24 h) and 11132 > CDC teal > 99WAX27 (>24 h). The extent of retrogradation measured by spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry followed the order: 11132 > CDC teal > 99WAX27 and 99WAX27 > CDC teal > 11132, respectively. In all starches, concentration of amylose, lipid complexed amylose chains, gelatinization temperature range, swelling factor, amylose leaching, peak viscosity, final viscosity, set-back, light transmission, susceptibility towards α-amylase and acid hydrolysis and the proportion of small (2–8 μm) B-type granules decreased on annealing. Thermal stability and crystallinity increased on annealing. In all starches, gelatinization, enthalpy, retrogradation rate and amylopectin chain length distribution remained unchanged on annealing. Pores and indentations were formed on the granule surfaces of CDC teal and 99WAX27 starches on annealing.     

Effects of frying temperature,pressure and time on gelatinisation of sago flour as compared to wheat and rice flour in fried coating

This study was conducted to determine the gelatinisation properties of coating with sago flour compared with wheat and rice as influenced by frying temperature, pressure and time. Chicken nuggets were immersed in sago, rice or wheat flour batters and fried at temperatures of 150, 165 and 180 °C and under pressures of 102 and 156 kPa for 0, 6, 18 and 30 s. Results showed that T_o of coatings from sago flour ranged from 71.8 to 74.7 °C. T_o of coatings from wheat flour ranged from 58.2 to 61.2 °C, while that of coatings from rice flour ranged from 77.9 to 78.6 °C. Except for a few combinations, frying temperature and pressure used did not have any significant effects on onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and end (T_e) temperatures. Except for a few combinations, degree of gelatinisation of coatings from sago flour was not influenced by frying temperature and pressure similar to coatings from rice and wheat flour.     

Effect of raw and heat–moisture‐treated high‐amylose corn starches on the process of digestion in the rat digestive tract

High‐amylose corn starch (HAS) is widely known as a resistant starch foodstuff. We developed heat–moisture‐treated high‐amylose corn starch (HMT‐HAS) that was more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis. Resistant starch contents of HAS and HMT‐HAS using the enzymatic–gravimetric method were found to be 30% and 65% respectively. Rats were given 10% ordinary corn starch (CS), HAS or HMT‐HAS by meal feeding for 10 days. The caecum contents increased and the caecal pH was lower after their diets were supplemented with HAS and HMT‐HAS. Starch contents increased in the upper and the lower small intestine with HAS and HMT‐HAS. Caecal starch with HAS and HMT‐HAS was more than that with CS. Particularly, caecal starch with HMT‐HAS was seven times more than that with HAS. There were no differences in starch content in the large bowel between CS and HAS, but the content increased with HMT‐HAS. These results suggested that HAS and HMT‐HAS were resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine, and any indigestible starches reached the caecum. In the caecum, HAS was hydrolysed almost completely by intestinal bacteria; however, some HMT‐HAS escaped bacterial hydrolysis. This escaped HMT‐HAS reached the large bowel and was excreted in the faeces. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

The effect of extractable lipid on the viscosity characteristics of corn and wheat starches

The defatting of both corn and wheat starch with 85% methanol yields starches which start to gelatinise at lower temperatures and have increased overall viscosities compared with untreated starches. The lipids extracted from wheat and corn starch with 85 % methanol were similar in total amount but showed very large differences in the proportions of neutral and phospholipids. The extracted corn lipids contained eight times as much neutral lipids (mainly free fatty acids) as phospholipids whereas the proportions of neutral and phospholipids in wheat starch were approximately equal. Addition of extracted lipids to defatted starches significantly modified the swelling and viscosity characteristics. Addition of wheat and corn lipids to potato starch (which contains almost no lipids) indicated that the higher percentage of phospholipids in wheat starch probably contributed towards the lower viscosity characteristics of wheat starch compared with corn starch.     

Effect of temperature on the synthesis,composition and physical properties of potato microtuber starch

Potato microtubers (cv Maris Piper) were grown at 10, 16 and 24°C in total darkness for 28 days. Soluble and insoluble starch synthase, ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase, sucrose synthase and fructokinase were assayed in extracts of the microtubers and, in the case of soluble and insoluble starch synthase, activity was found to be particularly sensitive to increasing growth temperature. The starch content of the microtubers increased slightly with increasing growth temperature, but with little effect on the number of granules per microtuber and a small increase in the average granule size. The microtuber starch granules were much smaller than those found in commercial potato starch (c 8–9 μm modal diameter compared to c 21 μm). Although the amylose content of the microtuber starches tended to increase with increasing growth temperature, the phosphorus content was variable. Gel permeation chromatographic elution profiles of native and debranched microtuber and a commercial potato starch showed that no differences could be detected in either amylose or amylopectin molecular size, polydispersity or unit chain distribution of amylopectin (which contained two major unit chain fractions at DP 21 and 56). The onset, peak and conclusion temperatures of the DSC gelatinisation endotherm increased linearly as a function of growth temperature whilst the enthalpy of gelatinisation decreased. It is suggested that elevated temperature during starch biosynthesis facilitates ordering of amylopectin double helices into crystalline domains. © 1998 SCI.     

Relationship between the structure,physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of rice starches with different amylose contents

The in vitro digestibility and molecular and crystalline structures of rice starches (Long-grain, Arborio, Calrose, and Glutinous) differing in amylose content were investigated and the relationship between the structure and in vitro digestibility of starch was studied. Long-grain showed the highest amylose content (27.2%), whereas Glutinous showed the lowest amylose content (4.2%). Long-grain had the highest average amylopectin branch chain length (18.8) and proportion (8.7%) of long branch chains (DP ≥ 37), and the lowest proportion (26.9%) of short branch chains (DP 6–12). Among the non-waxy rice starches (Long-grain, Arborio, and Calrose), Calrose had the lowest average chain length (17.7) and the lowest proportion (7.1%) of long branch chains (DP ≥ 37). The relative crystallinity of rice starch followed the order: Glutinous (33.5%) > Calrose (31.4%) > Arborio (31.0%) > Long-grain (29.9%). Long-grain had the highest gelatinization temperature and the lowest gelatinization temperature range, whereas Glutinous showed the highest gelatinization temperature range and gelatinization enthalpy. Arborio had the highest melting enthalpy for amylose–lipid complex among the tested rice starches. Pasting temperature, setback, and final viscosity increased with increasing amylose content, whereas the peak viscosity and breakdown showed negative correlations with amylose content. The rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content of the tested rice starches followed the order: Glutinous (71.4%) > Calrose (52.2%) > Arborio (48.4%) > Long-grain (39.4%). Contrary to this, the slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) contents showed an opposite trend compared to RDS. Digestibility (RDS, SDS, and RS) of the rice starches was significantly correlated (p ≤ 0.05) with amylose content, proportions of DP 6–12 and DP 13–24, relative crystallinity, intensity ratio (of 1047 cm⁻¹ to 1022 cm⁻¹ from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), swelling factor, amylose leaching, onset temperature of gelatinization, gelatinization temperature range, gelatinization enthalpy, pasting temperature, peak viscosity, breakdown, setback, and final viscosity.     

Starch determination,amylose content and susceptibility to in vitro amylolysis in flours from the roots of 25 cassava varieties

BACKGROUND: Cassava cultivars are classified following different criteria, such as cyanogenic glucoside content or starch content. Here, flours from the roots of 25 cassava varieties cultivated simultaneously in a single plantation, were characterized in terms of starch content (SC), amylose content (AC), α‐amylolysis index (AI) and gel formation ability. Resistant starch content (RS) was measured in 10 of the samples. RESULTS: Cassava flours exhibited high SC, low AC and low AI values, with differences among varieties. Cluster analysis based on these parameters divided the cultivars in four groups differing mainly in SC and AC. AI and AC were inversely correlated (r = ? 0.59, P < 0.05) in 18 of the cultivars, suggesting AC as an important factor governing the susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis of starch in raw cassava. Differences in susceptibility to amylolysis, assessed by RS, were also recorded in the sample subset analyzed. Most flours yielded pastes or gels upon heating and cooling. Gels differed in their subjective grade of firmness, but none exhibited syneresis, confirming the low retrogradation proclivity of cassava starch. CONCLUSION: Some differences were found among cassava samples, which may be ascribed to inter‐cultivar variation. This information may have application in further agronomic studies or for developing industrial uses for this crop. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of molecular characteristics of on konjac glucomannan glass transitions of potato amylose, amylopection and their mixtures

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore further the functions of konjac glucomannan (KGM) in starch‐based foods. Experiments were carried out using the mixed amylose/amylopectin/KGM system as a model. High‐speed differential scanning calorimetry (hyper‐DSC) with the support of high‐performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) equipped with multi‐angle laser light scattering (MALLS) and differential refractive index (RI), X‐ray diffractometry (XRD) and viscosimetry was used to investigate the effects of KGM on glass transition temperatures (T_gs) of mixtures with different amylose/amylopectin ratios. RESULTS: Hyper‐DSC results showed that the T_gs of amylose, amylopection and their mixtures decreased with increasing concentration of KGM. Based on the molecular characteristics of KGM, HPSEC‐MALLS‐RI, viscosimetry and XRD results showed that the molar masses of KGM ranged from 1.023 × 10⁶ to 1.329 × 10⁶ g mol^?1; the root mean square (RMS) radii were distributed from 110.5 to 129.6 nm, and M_w/M_n was 1.017. KGM was a linear molecule with random‐coil conformation in solution and the crystallinity was 0.00%. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the addition of KGM has plasticizing effects on the structures of amylose and amylopectin, which can increase free volume and molecular movement of amylose and amylopectin chains, resulting in a decrease in their T_gs. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry