Physicochemical properties of starch obtained from tubers of Anchomanesdifformis and Taccainvolucrata

Abstract

Anchomanes difformis and Tacca involucrata are wild tuberous plants rich in starch. Starch granules were isolated from the tubers of these plants using wet milling method of extraction and further subjected to physicochemical characterization by different experimental procedures. A. difformis afforded starch with a percentage yield of 28.15 % while T. involucrata yielded 12.25 % starch. The physicochemical analysis of isolated starch compounds revealed a swelling power of 8.5 and 12.0, gelatinization temperature of 73 and 75 ˚C , pasting temperature of 79.96 and 77.89 ˚C, with a pH of 5.8 and 6.5 and bulk density 0.77 and 0.76 g/cm3 for A. difformis and T. involucrata respectively. The microscopic and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the starch granules are generally small in size, with clustered arrangement. This study has revealed that both A. difformis and T. involucrata are not only rich in starch but that the investigated starch compounds have high potential for industrial applications and could serve as alternative sources to avoid competition with the staple crop, cassava.