| Abstract: | The effects of pullulanase debranching of sago (Metroxylon sagu) starch in the granular state and subsequent physical treatments on the formation and yield of type III resistant starch (RS 3) have been investigated. Sago starch was enzymatically debranched with pullulanase at 60°C and at pH 5.0 using different enzyme concentrations (24, 30, 40, 50 PUN/g dry starch) which was added to 20% (w/v) starch slurry and incubated for 0 to 48 h. Optimum enzyme concentration of 40 PUN/g dry starch and three debranching times (8, 16 and 24 h) have been selected for subsequent preparation of RS. Granule morphology and molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the debranched and resistant starch were examined. Debranched starch samples showed blurred birefringence patterns, a decrease in amylopectin fraction, an increase in low molecular weight fraction and a broadening of MWD. Debranched starch samples with a maximum RS yield of 7% were obtained at 8 h debranching time. Temperature cycling and incubation at certain temperature and storage time enhanced the formation of RS. Under the conditions used in this study, the optimum conditions to obtain the highest RS yield (11.6%) were 8 h of debranching time, followed by incubation at 80°C for seven days. The MWD analysis showed that RS consisted of material with relatively low degree of polymerization. This study showed that pullulanase treatment of starch in the granular state resulted in limited debranching of amylopectin but the subsequent physical treatments (incubation time/temperature) can be manipulated to promote crystallization and enhance formation of RS 3. |
