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.     

In vitro amylolytic degradation of natural and graft copolymerised cassava and potato starches

 Various enzymatic hydrolyses to maximise degradation of the starch moiety of grafted starch (starch–g-polyacrylonitrile) were tried. The percentage of α- and β-amylolyses of grafted starch were 55 and 50 compared to 80 and 70 respectively for natural starches. Sequential degradation with α-amylase and glucoamylase of grafted starch showed 70% hydrolysis. The maltooligosaccharide profile by HPLC of the hydrolysates of grafted starch showed oligomers up to a degree of polymerisation (DP) 3, whereas the natural starch hydrolysates showed up to DP 7. The percentage hydrolysis, as well as the enzyme degradation profile, remained similar for both potato and cassava starches. Further treatment of the grafted starch hydrolysates with Bacillus cereus cells showed the presence of very low molecular weight polyacrylonitrile chains grafted onto maltooligosaccharides. The size exclusion chromatography analysis of grafted starch indicated the amylose component of starch that undergoes graft copolymerisation. Received: 30 December 1999     

Physicochemical properties of starches obtained from Polish potato cultivars

Selected physicochemical, thermal, and rheological properties of starches isolated from new Polish potato varieties were determined. The starches contained 25.7–30.0 g/100 g d.m. of amylose and 59.5–90.2 mg/100 g d.m. of phosphorus. Gelatinization temperatures were 62.6–64.0, 68.9–69.9, and 73.6–77.0°C for T_O, T_P, and T_E, respectively, whilst enthalpy of gelatinization amounted to 11.1–15.3 J/g. The retrogradation degree of starch was from 52.90 to 78.53%. Pasting curves showed significant differences between the starches. Peak viscosity and final viscosity ranges were 2035–4458 and 1931–2985 mPa · s, respectively. Starch pastes exhibited non‐Newtonian, shear thinning, and thixotropic behavior. After cooling they demonstrated diversified viscoelastic properties, however, all of them were classified as weak gels. Significant linear correlations among selected rheological parameters and amylose and phosphorus content were found. Results of principal component analysis demonstrated an ability to differentiate the starches isolated from different potato varieties.     

Effects of mucilage on the thermal and pasting properties of yam, taro, and sweet potato starches

This study investigates the effects of water-soluble mucilages (0, 2.5, and 5 g/100 g; w/w, dry basis) on the thermal and pasting properties of isolated starches from three root and tuber crops. The results show that yam tuber presents the greatest level of mucilage and also possess the largest amylose content of the three isolated starches. The addition of mucilage caused a remarkable increase in the temperature of gelatinization for the three tested starches due to the competition for water during starch gelatinization. Furthermore, adding mucilage increased the phase transition temperature range (Tc-To) of starches but decreased enthalpy (ΔH). However, although the pasting temperature increased with the addition of mucilage into tuber starches, it did not change that of taro starch. The peak viscosity of taro and sweet potato starches decreased significantly as their mucilages were added into each starch suspension system (p < 0.05). However, the addition of mucilage slightly increased the viscosity of yam starch. Furthermore, the addition of mucilage slightly increased the swelling power of yam and taro starches, but did not change that of sweet potato starch.     

The effect of sodium chloride on the glass transition of potato and cassava starches at low moisture contents

The effect of NaCl on the glass transition of cassava and potato starches at low water levels (<20% dwb) was investigated. Sodium chloride (up to 6% of the starch dry weight) was mixed thoroughly with cassava and potato starches using a twin-screw extruder. The samples were equilibrated over saturated salt solutions (LiCl, CH₃COOK, MgCl₂, NaBr, CuCl₂ and NaCl) to give a range of moisture contents. The addition of sodium chloride caused a considerable reduction in the DSC measured glass transition temperature for both starches. For example, the T_g of cassava starch without and with 6% NaCl equilibrated at relative humidity of 11% was 166 and 136 °C, respectively. Similar reductions were found for potato starch. Although the starch sorption isotherms are affected by the addition of salt when T_g is plotted against water content as opposed to relative humidity a T_g reduction on salt addition is still observed. The possible reasons for the plasticization of starch by salt are discussed.     

Physico-chemical properties of potato starches

Starches were isolated and characterised from 10 potato cultivars grown under the same conditions (with a commercial starch for reference). The chemical composition revealed some differences amongst the starches with protein ranging from 0.30% to 0.34%, amylose 25.2% to 29.1% and phosphorus 52.6–66.2 mg 100 g⁻¹. High performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) fractionation of isoamylase debranched amylopectin showed that the amylopectin molecules were less branched and consisted of more B1, but less A-chains, than cereal starches. Gelatinisation onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and conclusion (T_c) temperatures of the native potato starches ranged from 58.7 to 62.5 °C, 62.5 to 66.1 °C and 68.7 to 72.3 °C, respectively, whilst the gelatinisation enthalpies ranged from 15.1 to 18.4 J g⁻¹. The gelatinisation temperatures of the starches increased in common with the amounts of short and intermediate sized amylopectin chains. The ¹³C magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C CP-MAS NMR) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) data (30.6% ± 0.22% crystallinity on average) showed little variance amongst the samples. Particle sizing results, however, revealed more variance (20.6–30.9 μm mean diameter). Overall, these data reveal the subtleties of cultivar specific variation against a background of constant environmental conditions.     

Physicochemical characterization of sweet potato starches popularly used in Chinese starch industry

Physicochemical properties of starches isolated from 11 sweet potato cultivars popularly used in Chinese starch industry were studied. Moisture, protein, ash, lipid and phosphorus content of the starches varied from 3.86 to 6.52%, 0.28 to 0.75%, 0.10 to 0.47% and 0.00 to 0.02%, respectively. Amylose content varied between 13.33 and 26.83%. The starches differed in their mean granule sizes, particle size distribution, and susceptibility to pancreatin hydrolysis. Swelling power and solubility ranged from 13.46 to 26.13 g/g and 8.56 to 18.77%, respectively. Higher retrogradation tendency was observed in pastes of starches of high amylose content. Gelatinization temperature and enthalpy ranged from 55.54 to 69.11 °C and 6.40 to 11.89 J/g, respectively. Pasting properties including peak viscosity (134–255 BU), breakdown viscosity (91–162 BU), setback viscosity (26–112 BU), peak time (5.97–7.03 min) and pasting temperature (67.20–73.00 °C) varied significantly among the sweet potato starches. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that phosphorus content of the starches had substantial effect on their swelling power (r = 0.70, p ≤ 0.05) showing positive correlations. There was significant positive correlation between swelling power and solubility of the starches (r = 0.64, p ≤ 0.05). Thermal and pasting parameters also showed significant correlations.     

Correlation between the compositional and pasting properties of various potato starches

Multiple linear regression equations were used to develop the correlation between the compositional and rapid visco-analysis (RVA) pasting properties of various potato starches. The amylose of potato starches had a negative correlation with the peak viscosity (PV) and breakdown (BD) and a positive correlation with the setback viscosity (SV) and peak viscosity temperature (PVT). By contrast, phosphorus had a positive correlation with PV, BD, and SV and a negative correlation with PVT. In addition, the median granule size had a positive correlation with PV and BD. By contrast, a negative correlation of the median granule size was observed with SV and PVT. The correlation coefficients of amylose–phosphorus, amylose–granule size, and phosphorus–granule size interactions indicated that amylose had more influence than had phosphorus or had the median granule size on PV and BD. Furthermore, amylose had a greater influence than had the granule size on SV and PVT. Similarly, amylose had more influence than had phosphorus or had the median granule size on PVT. However, the correlation developed in this study was useful for predicting the influence of a specific component and the compositional interaction on the RVA pasting properties.     

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.     

Some properties of corn starches II: Physicochemical,gelatinization, retrogradation,pasting and gel textural properties

The physicochemical, thermal, pasting and gel textural properties of corn starches from different corn varieties (African Tall, Ageti, Early Composite, Girja, Navjot, Parbhat, Partap, Pb Sathi and Vijay) were studied. Amylose content and swelling power of corn starches ranged from 16.9% to 21.3% and 13.7 to 20.7 g/g, respectively. The enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH_gel) and percentage of retrogradation (%R) for various corn starches ranged from 11.2 to 12.7 J/g and 37.6% to 56.5%, respectively. The range for peak viscosity among different varieties was between 804 and 1252 cP. The hardness of starch gels ranged from 21.5 to 32.3 g. African Tall and Early Composite showed higher swelling power, peak, trough, breakdown, final and setback viscosity, and lower ΔH_gel and range of gelatinization. Pearson correlations among various properties of starches were observed. Gelatinization onset temperature (T_o) was negatively correlated to peak-, breakdown-, final- and setback viscosity (r = −0.809, −0.774, −0.721 and −0.686, respectively, p < 0.01) and positively correlated to pasting temperature (r = 0.657, p < 0.01). ΔH_gel was observed to be positively correlated with T_o, peak gelatinization temperature and (T_p) and gelatinization conclusion temperature T_c (r = 0.900, 0.902 and 0.828, respectively, p < 0.01) whereas, it was negatively correlated to peak- and breakdown- (r = −0.743 and −0.733, respectively, p < 0.01), final- and setback viscosity (r = −0.623 and −0.611, respectively, p < 0.05). Amylose was positively correlated to hardness (r = 0.511, p < 0.05) and gumminess (r = 0.792, p < 0.01) of starch gels.     

Studies on noodle quality of potato and rice starches and their blends in relation to their physicochemical, pasting and gel textural properties

The physicochemical, pasting, and gel textural properties of potato and rice starches and their blends were studied in relation to their noodle making performance. Amylose content, swelling power and solubility values of potato starch were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than for rice starch. Pasting properties showed higher peak, final and setback viscosity for potato starch as compared to rice starch. Texture profile analysis revealed that potato starch gel had higher hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness as compared to rice starch gel. Potato starch noodles showed higher cooked weight and cooking loss and were scored higher by sensory panellists especially with respect to transparency and slipperiness. On the other hand, rice starch noodles were more firm with lower cooking loss. Addition of potato starch to rice starch significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the noodle characteristics. Among the starch blends studied, blending of potato and rice starch in the ratio of 1:1 resulted in good quality noodles in terms of their lower cooking time, higher cooked weight, transparency and slipperiness. The results revealed the possibility of blending of potato starch with rice starch in equal proportions to produce noodles of acceptable quality.     

A comparison of native and oxidized normal and waxy corn starches: Physicochemical, thermal, morphological and pasting properties

The effect of sodium hypochlorite on the physicochemical and functional properties of normal and waxy corn starches was investigated in this study. It was found that both carboxyl and carbonyl contents of oxidized starches from normal corn were higher than those of waxy corn. The introduction of carboxyl and carbonyl groups resulted in lower amylose content and swelling power. Both amylose and amylopectin were oxidized and degraded during oxidation but amylose was more susceptible to oxidation. Studies conducted on paste clarity revealed that the percentage transmittance increased after oxidation. The morphology of the starches was not altered after oxidation. Thermal properties measured by differential scanning calorimeter, showed that oxidation reduced transition temperatures (onset temperature, T_o; peak temperature, T_p; and conclusion temperature, T_c), gelatinization and retrogradation enthalpies of both normal and waxy corn starches. The retrogradation tendency was reduced after oxidation both in normal and waxy corn starches. Oxidation produced waxy starch with significantly higher peak (P_V), trough (T_V), breakdown (B_V), final (F_V), and setback viscosity (S_V) as demonstrated by using a rapid visco analyzer. Oxidation reduced the pasting temperature of both normal and waxy corn starches. Also, the principal component analysis (PCA) study was conducted to find the overall variations among the oxidized starches studied. Together, the first two components represent 88.7 g/100 g of the total variability.     

A comparison of native and acid thinned normal and waxy corn starches: Physicochemical, thermal, morphological and pasting properties

The starches isolated from normal and waxy corn varieties were hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid (0.14 mol equivalent/L) and evaluated for physicochemical and functional properties. Acid thinning decreased the amylose content and swelling power but increased the solubility. The light transmittance of acid thinned (AT) starch pastes was higher than those of their native starches after similar storage intervals. The scanning electron microscopic observation demonstrated that the acid thinning did not cause any disruption of the granular crystalline structure. Native normal corn starches showed lower onset temperature (T_o) and peak temperature (T_p) as compared to their counterpart AT starches, whereas the reverse was observed for waxy corn starch. Enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH_gel) was lower in AT normal and waxy starches as compared to their native starches. The percentage of retrogradation (%R) was significantly higher for native corn starches as compared to their AT starches. A significant reduction in peak—(P_V), trough—(T_V), breakdown—(B_V), final—(F_V), and setback viscosity (S_V) was observed by acid thinning, and the reduction was more pronounced in AT waxy starches. Among AT starches, AT waxy starch showed the lowest values of P_V, T_V, B_V, F_V and S_V.     

Influence of molecular structural characteristics on pasting and thermal properties of acid-methanol-treated rice starches

Rice starches from TKW1, TNG67 and TCS17 varieties, differing widely in amylose contents (0.1, 18.3 and 29.2%) were treated at 45 °C for 1 h in methanol containing various amounts of HCl. The recovery, pasting properties, thermal behaviors, molecular size and chain length distribution of starch were observed. Starches exhibited widely different pasting and thermal behavior upon acid-methanol treated (AMT). Degradation of starches upon AMT affected the leaching extent and chain length of amylose. No obvious changes were found on chain length and content of chain fractions of amylopectin. The pasting viscosity of rice starch decreased with increasing concentration of HCl, and the pasting profiles depended on the variety of rice. The pasting profile of AMT-TNG67 starch showed a two-step increasing pattern during heating, while TKW1 and TCS17 starches showed smoothly increasing pasting curves. The relationship between pasting patterns of AMT-TNG67 starches with amylose leaching and two stages of swelling behavior of starch granules was investigated. Results indicated that the pasting of starch granules depend on the amount, as well as the chain length, of amylose in granules.     

微波辐射对木薯淀粉性质影响

研究微波辐射前后木薯淀粉物化性质变化,采用微波对30%水分含量木薯淀粉进行处理,结果表明,微波处理增强对应X–射线衍射峰强度,降低膨胀度、溶解度和冻融稳定性;木薯淀粉经处理后糊化起始温度升高、粘度降低,但其粘度曲线不改变。以上数据表明,在淀粉颗粒内无定形区和结晶区直链淀粉与直链淀粉、直链淀粉与支链淀粉发生交互作用,微波处理使淀粉分子发生一定程度降解。     

Physicochemical characteristics of starches and flours from cassava varieties having different cooked root textures

Starches and flours from 12 cassava varieties having differences in cooked root texture - mealy, firm and mealy & firm - were investigated, with a particular focus on aspects of physicochemical characteristics. It was found that chemical composition (protein, lipid, fiber, ash), pasting properties, firmness of gel, thermal properties, morphology and granular size distribution and crystalline pattern of starches from the 12 varieties were not significantly different. On the contrary, cassava flours which consisted of both starch and non-starch components exhibited wider variations in these properties, especially pasting properties and firmness of gel, than the starches. All flour samples had lower paste viscosities than their corresponding starches. Pasting temperatures of flours were in a range of 70-74 ^°C, which was higher than those of starches (67-70 ^°C). Fluctuation in the values of pasting parameters of flours among the varieties was associated with the variations in the chemical composition and α-amylase activity, i.e. paste viscosity and setback were positively correlated to starch content and negatively correlated to α-amylase activity, while protein, lipid and fiber did not show correlation with pasting parameters. Cassava starches from all varieties, except the F-18 variety, had higher firmness of gels than their corresponding flours. Firmness values (except the F-18 variety) of starches were in a range of 149-207 g, whereas those of flours were 75-163 g. Firmness of flour gels was negatively correlated to lipid and fiber content, while strong positive correlation was found with the amylase activity.     

The effect of electrostatic interactions on pasting properties of potato starch/xanthan gum combinations

The effects of electrostatic interactions on pasting properties of potato starch (PS)/xanthan gum (XG) combinations were investigated. The RVA peak viscosity of combinations was decreased firstly and then increased with the adding of XG. The analysis and regression model performance of RVA measurement showed that there was the relationship between pasting properties of combinations and XG concentrations. Electrostatic repulsions between native potato starch or anionic modified potato starches (AP) and XG could be present by decreasing peak viscosity, but the pasting temperatures showed increasing trend. However, electrostatic attractions between cationic modified potato starch (CP) and XG showed the opposite effect. Negative zeta potential determination for combinations (− 54.6 mv) was higher than PS (− 35.2 mv) illustrated that combinations had more electronegativity and stability, in addition a phase-separated microstructure was exhibited in the combinations determined by Zeta potential results. SEM micrographs presented that XG film attached to the surface of PS granules, which inhibited the starch granules destruction and leaching of amylase. The electrostatic repulsion leaded to more stability of the three dimensional network structures of combinations. The strong electrostatic interactions between PS and XG were found to play an important role on the pasting properties of the combinations.     

Influence of the naturally occurring phosphate esters on the crystallinity of potato starch

The gelatinisation enthalpy of native potato starch, as measured by DSC, as observed to decrease ith increased natural phosphorylation of the amylopectin. The phosphate esters bound to the C-6 carbons clearly reduced the gelatinisation enthalpy, hereas the phosphate esters bound to C-3 carbons took little or no part in this reduction. Retrograded starch samples ere also studied, in order to find a corresponding relationship beteen the degree of phosphorylation and the recrystallisation enthalpy. These results ere less convincing, but the phosphate esters did tend to increase the retrogradation enthalpy independent of the phosphorylation site.     

甘薯交联抗性淀粉热力学性质与消化性研究

根据膨胀度、糊化度及差示扫描量热仪(DSC)测得热力学参数,综合分析甘薯交联抗性淀粉和原淀粉热力学性质,并采用Jenkins提出In–vitro模型测定淀粉体外消化性。结果表明:在同一温度下,甘薯交联抗性淀粉膨胀度和糊化度均较原淀粉低,且交联剂用量越高,淀粉膨胀度和糊化度越小;DSC测试结果显示,甘薯交联抗性淀粉相转变温度To、Tp、Tc随交联剂用量增加而升高,Tc–To和△H均比原淀粉低。In–vitro消化模拟实验表明,甘薯交联抗性淀粉消化性比原淀粉低,并随交联剂含量增加,消化产物量减少,消化速度降低。     

Physicochemical properties of dry matter and starch from potatoes grown in Canada

In this study dry matter and starch were isolated from three potato cultivars (AC Stempede Russet, Russet Burbank and Karnico) grown at two locations (Fredericton and Benton) in New Brunswick, Canada. The chemical composition including total starch, dietary fibre, free glucose and protein content in potato dry matter and apparent amylose and total phosphorus content in potato starch were determined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the thermal properties of gelatinization and retrogradation of potato dry matter and starch. The pasting properties of potato dry matter and starch were investigated by rapid visco analyzer (RVA). The resistant starch measurement method was employed to evaluate the digestibility in vitro of native and gelatinized potato starch. Molecular characteristics including chain length and chain length distribution of potato starch were also analyzed using high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC). The analytical results suggest that differences in chemical composition and molecular chain length of potato starch may contribute to different functional properties of potato dry matter and starch of individual cultivars.