| Abstract: | The starch content of four edible aroid (Araceae) cultivars was determined using acid and enzyme methods of hydrolysis. Hydrolysates were analysed using ferricyanide reduction, glucose oxidase and high performance liquid chromatography methods. Differences in starch values were obtained between the method of sugar analysis used when acid hydrolysis of samples was employed. The results obtained using enzyme hydrolysis, however, showed no significant differences between the methods of sugar analysis used. The results of these experiments indicate that, to obtain accurate starch values for edible aroids using the least expensive options, it is recommended that acid hydrolysis and the glucose oxidase-peroxidase glucose-specific assay methods or enzyme hydrolysis and ferricyanide sugar analysis be used. Starch degradation of ungelatinised samples by enzymic hydrolysis was very limited and showed considerable cultivar variation. |
