Taro Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Amylopectin Structure and Its Effect on Starch Functional Properties

Flour extracted from small‐, medium‐, and large‐corm taro Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott cultivated in central Thailand had similar proximate composition, comparable calcium oxalate and amylose content, but different starch granule size and average chain length of amylopectin. Starch from the larger corm taro had a smaller average granule size and a lower average amylopectin chain length (CL_avg), a lower average external chain length (ECL_avg), and a lower average internal chain length (ICL_avg) when compared to that from the smaller corm taro. The solubility of taro starch was inversely proportional to CL_avg, ECL_avg, and ICL_avg. Starch having a shorter CL_avg, ECL_avg, and ICL_avg had a higher peak viscosity and breakdown. The onset (T_o), peak (T_p), and conclusion temperatures (T_c) of starch gelatinization and the extent of starch paste retrogradation did not correlate with the amylopectin structure.     

薯类粉条中与淀粉相关的结构性质研究

为了解薯类淀粉粉条结构特点,选取3种木薯淀粉(SC9、SC205、LMC),3种淮山淀粉(GY2、SFY、MPY)和1种红薯淀粉(XSSP)制成的粉条为研究对象,对其色泽、微观样貌、结晶结构进行测定和比较。结果表明,各粉条的色泽、微观样貌、结晶结构差异显著。星树红薯粉条色泽最好,而双峰淮山粉条色泽较暗。淮山粉条和红薯粉条存在部分还未完全糊化的淀粉颗粒,呈现出清晰的团粒结构,木薯粉条的糊化程度最高,淀粉的团粒结构已基本消失,SC9木薯粉条可以看到均匀完整的网络结构。粉条的结晶结构均遭到破坏,不同品种薯类粉条的有序结构与无序结构比例有明显差异。     

Physicochemical and Biochemical Characterization of Starch Granules Isolated of Pigmented Maize Hybrids

In this study, the morphological and physicochemical of pigmented maizes as well as the initial characterization of the corresponding starch granule enzymes are described. Starch granules were isolated from blue, black, and white maize. They were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, particle size distribution, pasting characteristics, sorption isotherms, differential scanning calorimetry, and two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis. The morphology of the starch granules of pigmented maizes was different from the granules of white maize; the pattern was related to the endosperm type of these varieties. The average starch granule size was higher for black than for white and blue maizes. The average gelatinization temperature was similar in the three starches, but the pigmented maizes had higher gelatinization enthalpy; black maize starch showed the lowest enthalpy of retrogradation. These results indicated that the starches from the three maizes analyzed had different organization level. Black maize starch showed the highest peak viscosity followed by white and blue maize starches. In the gel electrophoresis three starch granules presented one main spot at pI of 5 and MW of 60 kDa that corresponds to the granule‐bound starch synthase. Blue and white starches presented some spots near 97 kDa at pI of 5.3–5.7 (white maize) and 5.1–5.5 (blue maize), spots that were not observed for black maize starch. The morphological and physicochemical characteristics of maize starch are related to the enzymes involved in its biosynthesis.     

Endosperm Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Starches from Normal,Waxy, and Super-Sweet Maize

Maize is a main botanical source used for extraction of starch in the world market. New maize cultivars with different amylose contents and special starch metabolism characteristics have been generated. Three types of maize cultivars, namely, normal maize, waxy maize (wxwx homozygous mutant), and super-sweet maize (sh2sh2 homozygous mutant), were investigated to determine differences in endosperm structures, morphologies, and physicochemical properties of starches. Maize kernels exhibited significantly different contents of total starch, soluble sugar, and amylose. Normal maize kernels contained the largest proportion of floury endosperm, followed by waxy maize and then super-sweet maize. Normal maize starch and waxy maize starch were larger in size than super-sweet maize starch. Normal maize starch and waxy maize starch were spherical and polygonal in floury and vitreous endosperms, respectively. Super-sweet maize starch was spherical both in floury and vitreous endosperms. Waxy maize starch showed the strongest birefringence patterns, the highest crystallinity and the largest proportion of ordered structure in external region of granules, and the largest proportion of double helix components, followed by normal maize starch and then super-sweet maize starch. Waxy maize starch showed the highest peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity, gelatinization temperatures (i.e., gelatinization conclusion temperature, gelatinization onset temperature, gelatinization peak temperature, and gelatinization enthalpy). By contrast, super-sweet maize starch showed the lowest corresponding values for these parameters.     

Physicochemical and Gelatinization Properties of Starches Separated from Various Rice Cultivars

Morphological, viscoelastic, hydration, pasting, and thermal properties of starches separated from 10 different rice cultivars were investigated. Upon gelatinization, the G′ values of the rice starch pastes ranged from 37.4 to 2057 Pa at 25 °C, and remarkably, the magnitude depended on the starch varieties. The rheological behavior during gelatinization upon heating brought out differences in onset in G′ and degree of steepness. The cultivar with high amylose content (Goami) showed the lowest critical strain (γ_c), whereas the cultivars with low amylose content (Boseokchal and Shinseonchal) possessed the highest γ_c. The amylose content in rice starches affected their pasting properties; the sample possessing the highest amylose content showed the highest final viscosity and setback value, whereas waxy starch samples displayed low final viscosity and setback value. The onset gelatinization temperatures of the starches from 10 rice cultivars ranged between 57.9 and 64.4 °C. The amylose content was fairly correlated to hydration and pasting properties of rice starches but did not correlate well with viscoelastic and thermal characteristics. The combined analysis of hydration, pasting, viscoelastic, and thermal data of the rice starches is useful in fully understanding their behavior and in addressing the processability for food applications.     

慈姑淀粉的性质研究

研究了慈姑淀粉性质,结果发现:慈姑淀粉粒多呈圆形,少数椭圆形,粒径范围为4～25μm,平均粒径10μm,X-射线衍射呈C型结晶图样。DSC法测得慈姑的起始糊化温度To=52.330℃,峰值温度TP=68.226℃,终止温度Tc=77.280℃。快速黏度测定仪测得慈姑淀粉的峰值黏度为2363.00mPa.s,最低黏度为1756.00mPa.s。55℃以下,慈姑淀粉的溶解度与膨润力低,糊化后溶解度与膨润力大大提高。与玉米淀粉、木薯淀粉和莲藕淀粉相比,慈姑淀粉糊透明度较低,冻融稳定性较强。     

Physicochemical Characteristics of Starches from Unripe Fruits of Mango and Banana

Mango and banana starches were isolated from unripe fruits and their morphology; thermal and pasting properties; molar mass and chain length distribution were determined. Mango starch granules were spherical or dome‐shaped and split, while banana starch had elongated granules with a lenticular shape. Amylopectin of both fruit starches had a lower molar mass than maize starch amylopectin; however, mango amylopectin had the highest gyration radius. Banana amylopectin showed the lowest percentage of short chains [degree of polymerization (DP) 6–12] and the highest level of long chains (DP ≥ 37); mango amylopectin presented the highest fraction of short chains, but the level of longest chains was intermediate between those of banana and maize amylopectins. Banana starch presented the highest average gelatinization temperature followed by mango starch and maize starch had the lowest value; a similar pattern was found for the gelatinization enthalpy. The two fruit starches had a lower pasting temperature than maize starch, but the former samples showed higher peak and final viscosities than maize starch. Structural differences identified in the fruit starches explain their physicochemical characteristics such as thermal and pasting behavior.     

Studies on the Functional Characteristics and Digestibility of Starches from Phaseolus vulgaris Biotypes

The functional properties of starches from black bean, kidney bean, navy bean, northern bean and pinto bean, all biotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris, were examined. Starch granule sizes ranged from 22 – 39 μm (length) to 19 – 28 μm (width) and shapes varied from elliptical to oval. Amylose content ranged from 30.2 – 37.3%. A highly ordered crystalline structure of granules (Ca) was suggested by restricted swelling power and solubility, resistance to α-amylase attack, high gelatinization temperature and stable amylographic viscosities. Moreover, the existence of a crystalline structure of the highest and lowest order of stability among the Phaseolus starches was indicated for pinto bean and black bean, respectively, which were substantially different than those of kidney, northern and navy bean. The higher stability of pinto bean starch indicated a higher degree of associative bonding forces, namely, hydrogen and covalent, between oxygen and hydrogen atoms of closely packed parallel amylose chains. The wide range in amylographic viscosities was a reflection of crystalline stability, amylose exudation, granule swelling and pH of slurry. Gels exhibited a higher degree of retrogradation at +4 °C than at – 15 °C. Scanning electron microscopy showed that α-amylase-treated corn starch granules were degraded from the inside out by the formation of large circular holes, whereas those of kidney bean were less extensively degraded and showed only scaling and roughening of the surface as evidence of granule deterioration.     

Characterization of Starch from Sagittaria trifolia L. var. sinensis Makino

The physicochemical properties of starch from the corm of Sagittaria trifolia L. var. sinensis Makino (arrowhead) were investigated. The starch contained 31.65% of amylose and 0.0897 mg/g of phosphorus. It had a gelatinization temperature range of 56.1–61.7–64.9°C, a mixed type of Brabender viscosity pattern, a one-stage swelling pattern, 99.6% water binding capacity, low solubility in dimethyl sulfoxide, and high a-amylase susceptibility. The amylose was found to be a branched molecule of DP 2202 and was hydrolyzed 86.6% with β-amylase. Its amylopectin had an average chain length of 24.5 and was hydrolyzed 65.5% with β-amylase. The characteristics of this starch were different from those of typical corm, bulb and tuber starches.     

Effect of Amylose Content on Gelatinization,Retrogradation and Pasting Properties of Flours from Different Cultivars of Thai Rice

Presently, rice cultivars are categorized according to amylose content into three groups: low, medium and high amylose content cultivars. The correlation of amylose content with gelatinization properties, retrogradation, and pasting properties of eleven cultivars of Thai rice were investigated. Rice flour was prepared from milled rice by the wet grinding process. Onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and conclusion (T_c) temperatures of gelatinization, (determined by DSC) were found to be highly positively correlated with amylose levels. This correlation could be used for prediction of amylose content of rice flour. Low amylose starch could also be characterized by low degree of retrogradation (%R). The data obtained from RVA‐viscograms (peak viscosity, breakdown, setback, and pasting temperature) can be used only for characterization of the group of low amylose starches (waxy rice). It was demonstrated that low amylose rice starch provided the highest peak viscosity and breakdown and the lowest setback and pasting temperature among the groups investigated.     

Comparative analysis of starch properties of different root and tuber crops of Sri Lanka

The physicochemical properties of starches of six different root and tuber crop species grown mainly in Sri Lanka showed significant differences among the tested crop species and varieties. The median granule size of starch of tested root and tuber crop species varied from 33.5 to 10.2 μm. The largest granule size and the highest blue value were given by the canna, Buthsarana, and yam species, in that order. The amylose content of cassava was higher than those of sweet potato and many yams. High peak viscosities, high breakdown, and high final viscosities were observed in yams, and, generally, such starch showed a high swelling power. According to the correlation analysis, these pasting properties would mainly be due to their larger starch granule size. Based on the thermal properties, cassava starch showed less energy requirement for gelatinization and thus gelatinized at lower temperatures. Furthermore, a higher susceptibility of raw cassava starch toward fungal glucoamylase was observed. The low enzyme digestibility of raw yam starch would be due to its large granules. Correlation analysis showed that the blue value and starch granule size were important in determining the pasting, thermal, and other properties of starch.     

不同品种大米理化性质及其淀粉结构对米饭食用品质的影响

米饭食味值和质构特性是评价大米食用品质的重要指标,为了探究不同品种大米的食味值、质构特性与其理化性质及淀粉结构的关系,以12种大米为研究样本,测定其食味值、质构特性、理化性质及淀粉结构特性,并分析内在相关性。结果表明,直链淀粉含量（质量分数）与米饭的硬度呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）,与米饭的凝聚性呈极显著负相关（P<0.01）;米饭食味值、质构特性与大米淀粉的糊化特性、热特性之间存在显著相关性,与结晶特性、淀粉颗粒表面有序度无显著相关性,表明淀粉的糊化特性决定了米饭的食味值、硬度、凝聚性和回复性。该研究可为后期优质稻米筛选培育以及大米适宜性加工提供理论基础。     

不同品种甘薯淀粉加工特性及其与磷含量的相关性研究

对24个甘薯品种的淀粉含量、干率、可溶性糖含量、淀粉的黏度特征谱和磷含量进行了比较研究。结果表明:试验品种薯块的平均淀粉含量为22.14%,以渝薯1号最高,达31.45%;平均干物质率为31.38%,品种之间的差异较小;平均可溶性糖含量2.32%,以秦薯5号最低,为0.42%;褐变指数7.00~20.01,最低的为渝薯27;淀粉糊化温度范围为66.8~77.1 ℃,秦薯9号、苏薯24、烟薯26和济薯25淀粉的糊化温度均低于70 ℃;淀粉峰值黏度最高的品种为运薯271,达1207 BU;崩解值最低的品种为桂粉3号,为381 BU;回生值最低的品种为秦薯5号,为241BU;淀粉磷含量82~231 mg/kg,与峰值黏度极显著正相关(p<0.01)。建议进行淀粉类产品加工时,根据产品所需的特征参数选择合适的品种,实现物尽其用。受试甘薯中,以渝薯1号、渝薯27、济薯25和苏薯24的综合加工特性较好,推荐作为育种亲本。     

Relationship between α-amylase degradation and physico-chemical properties of sweet potato starches

Six varieties of sweet potatoes, grown under identical conditions, produced starches that displayed different characteristics. Susceptibility to pancreatic α-amylase varied between starches produced by the different clones. Structural characteristics at various levels, such as ratio of major fractions, size of amylose, gelatinization temperature and granule morphology, were also different between clones. Correlating structural attributes with susceptibility led to the suggestion that granule structure, including amylopectin: amylose ratio and molecular associations, were important critical factors in the hydrolysis of sweet potato starch granules. High amylopectin content of sweet potato starch was associated with a high gelatinization temperature and correspondingly less susceptibility to α-amylase attack. The hydrolysis pattern was correlated with degree of hydrolysis. Extensive surface erosion was shown to indicate a high degree of hydrolysis, whereas less surface erosion indicated less degradation.     

Influence of Heat‐Moisture Treatment and Acid Modifications on Physicochemical,Rheological, Thermal and Morphological Characteristics of Indian Water Chestnut (Trapa natans) Starch and its Application in Biodegradable Films

Water chestnut starch was subjected to acid modification and heat‐moisture treatment. Hydrochloric acid was used for acid modification at three different concentrations (0.25 M, 0.5 M and 1 M) for 2 h. Modifications did not alter the granule morphology. Heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) resulted in slight reduction in the granular size of the starch granules. Acid modification lowered the amylose content, swelling power, water‐ and oil‐binding capacity but improved the solubility of starch to a considerable level. Light transmittance of acid‐modified (AM) starches improved significantly. A significant reduction in peak, trough, final and setback viscosity was observed by acid‐thinning. In case of heat‐moisture treated starch the final viscosity (F_v) was found to be even higher than the peak viscosity (P_v). Native water chestnut starch exhibited a lower onset temperature (T_o) and peak temperature (T_p) of gelatinization than the corresponding acid‐treated starches. Starch films prepared from native starch exhibited excellent pliability, whereas those prepared from AM and HMT starches showed good tensile strength. Starch films prepared from acid‐treated starches provided better puncture and tensile strength.     

Processing Technology Comparison of Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Cassava Starch Extracted from Fresh Root and Dry Chips

Starch was extracted from dry chips of three varieties of cassava using wet milling and dry milling methods. The physicochemical and functional properties were compared with those from fresh root. The starch obtained exhibited lower peak viscosities, breakdowns and setbacks, and higher pasting and peak temperatures than that from fresh root. Most thermal properties (onset and peak temperatures of gelatinization and retrogradation; conclusion temperatures, enthalpies and peak height indices of retrogradation; and degree of retrogradation) were found to be higher than those of fresh‐root starch. Moreover, swelling power, paste clarity and freeze‐thaw stability of the former were inferior to those of the latter. Both types of starches exhibited increased rate of syneresis with increase in freeze‐thaw cycles. Differences observed in properties of starches derived from dry chips by wet and dry millings were very minimal. No indication of major change in granule structure was noted for dry‐chip starch that would alter the properties relative to fresh root starch. Higher fiber content and annealing due to exposure to heat and moisture of the former accounted for most of the variations of properties as compared to the latter. With the advanced technology used in starch manufacturing industry today it would be possible to obtain starch from dry chips with similar quality from fresh root. This would enable the industry to overcome the cycle of glut and low season, and allow them to remain open for longer period of time in a year.     

Characteristics of Different Types of Starch in Starch Noodles and Their Effect on Eating Quality

Several commercial starch noodles made from legume, tuber, geshu (kudzu and sweet potato) and fernery starches were used to study the characteristics of starch in starch noodles and their effect on eating quality of starch noodles. Scanning electron microscopy observation found that the special inner structure of starch noodles was composed of some broken starch granules and some gel-like substances. Tuber and legume starches had the highest and lowest solubility, swelling power, swelling factor, setback, breakdown, peak viscosity, and final viscosity, respectively. Legume and tuber starches had the highest and lowest gelatinization temperature, respectively. Tuber and geshu starches had the highest amylose leaching rate, while legume starches owned the lowest value (p < 0.05). Tuber starches had the highest conclusion temperature of gelatinization (151.12~158.86°C). Fernery starches had the lowest value of retrogradation enthalpy (967.33 J/g dry starch). Legume starch noodles had the lowest broken rate (0.00~1.67%), swelling ratio (332.64~343.57%), and cooking loss (2.40~2.74%), and the highest hardness (87.47~93.29 g/mm2), shear deformation (0.49~0.52), and elasticity (0.58~0.62), However, tuber and fernery starch noodles did the opposite, tuber and legume starch noodles had the highest and lowest cohesiveness, respectively. All the above cooking and starch properties test results of starch noodles demonstrated that, compared with others, legume starch noodles are relatively well in eating quality. The correlation analysis showed that the cooking and physical quality of starch noodles could be perfected significantly by improving the swelling and pasting properties for starch of starch noodles, while thermal properties had no obvious influence on them.     

糯玉米淀粉形成过程中理化特性的变化

为阐明糯玉米淀粉形成过程中理化特性的变化趋势。以6个糯玉米品种为材料,研究了其在花后7 d(淀粉初始期)、22 d(乳熟期)、40 d(成熟期)的淀粉理化特性。结果表明,新形成的淀粉粒为圆型或椭圆型,表层光滑,而鲜食期和成熟期淀粉粒呈不规则的多面体,表层粗糙。淀粉粒径和尖峰强度随生育进程推进逐渐加大(升高)。最大吸收波长和碘结合力以新形成的淀粉粒最高,其次是成熟期。RVA和DSC特征参数在不同生育阶段的变化品种间有显著差异。总体上,随着发育进程推进,淀粉峰值黏度、崩解值、热焓值和回生热焓值先升后降,而回生值、糊化和峰值温度逐渐下降。淀粉形成过程中淀粉粒形态、大小、晶体结构和链长分布发生变化,改变了淀粉糊化和热力学特性。     

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.     

Physico‐chemical characterization of starches extracted from potatoes of the group Phureja

Starch was extracted from twenty‐four accessions of Group Phureja cultivated diploid potatoes, and from two commercial potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties. Extracted starch samples were characterized and compared to industrial potato starch. Starch from Phureja generally exhibited smaller granule sizes and lower phosphorus content than starch from commercial potatoes. Amylose content and thermal properties (gelatinization temperature and enthalpy) were however in the same range for both groups. Starches from Phureja displayed very distinct pasting behavior from that of commercial potato. The former exhibited lower initial pasting viscosity but higher shear resistance. This may be related to lower starch granule size, causing lower swelling power and solubility. Iodine complexation results seem to indicate that phureja potatoes have higher proportion of amylopectin long chains. Phureja thus appears to be a promising new source of starch with specific physico‐chemical and functional properties intermediate between industrial potato and cereal starches.