Resumo

MEANO CORREA, Ninoska; CIARFELLA PEREZ, Ana Teresa  e  DORTA VILLEGAS, Ana Marina. Evaluation of chemical and functional properties of native starch of congo yam (Dioscorea bulbifera L.) to predict its possible technological uses. Saber [online]. 2014, vol.26, n.2, pp.182-188. ISSN 1315-0162.

In Venezuela, the starches are mostly obtained from corn, potato, yuca and rice. Nonetheless, there are other sources for starch production and local consumption whose potential could be exploited, seeking alternatives to increase the added value to local agricultural products. Question arose about to evaluate chemical and functional properties of native starch from congo yam in order to predict its possible uses. With this purpose, bulbs of congo yam were collected in the town of Santa Ana of Anzoategui state, Venezuela, and starch was extracted from them for evaluating the yield, purity, chemical composition, amylose content, gel clarity, swelling power and solubility. The starch yield was 7.44%, and its purity was 99.29%. The chemical composition (on dry basis) was of 11.29% moisture, 0.29% protein, 0.21% fat, 0.21% ash and 0.0047% phosphorus. The average content of amylose and amylopectin was 30.63 and 69.37%, respectively. As to the functional properties of starchits swelling power had a maximum of 49.05 g gel/g of starch at 95°C, clear gel formation with a transmittance rate of 91 % and a solubility that increases as the temperature rises. These results indicate that the yam congo is a source of starch with advantageous properties, a high amylose content, a clear gel with high swelling power.

Palavras-chave : Yam; starch; properties.

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