Changes in morphological, thermal and pasting properties of yam (Dioscorea alata) starch during growth

This study was carried out in order to compare and establish the changes in physicochemical properties of starch from four different cultivars of yam at various stages of maturity during growth. The results showed that the starch content of the four yam tubers increased as growth progressed and were in the range of 70.5–85.3% on a dry basis. The shapes of the starch granules were round to oval or angular in the four yams and the size of starch granule increased with growth time ranging from 10 to 40 μm. The X-ray diffraction patterns could be classified as typical of B-type starch for the four cultivars of yam starch. The transition temperature of gelatinization of the four yam starches decreased during maturity. The RVA parameters suggested that yam starch paste showed a lower breakdown at an early harvest time. It appeared to be thermo-stable during heating but had a high setback after cooling, which might result in a tendency towards high retrogradation. The results for pasting behaviors showed that higher amylose content was associated with a lower pasting temperature and a higher peak viscosity in these starches.