The effects of drying and varietal differences on the physicochemical properties of cassava starch

Starch is a major component of cassava roots and an important source of calories for human food and animal feed. The physicochemical properties of starch from both fresh tubers and dried chips of four cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz ) varieties: Gblemoduade, Abasafitaa, Isu-White and Afisiafi were studied to establish the effects of drying and varietal differences on physicochemical properties. The parameters studied were pH, solubility, viscosity, water-binding capacity (WBC), amylose content and starch yield. Starch from fresh tubers did not show much significant difference in amylose content and pH, but there were significant differences in the viscosity and water-binding capacity values of fresh cassava varieties. The same trend was observed for starch from the dried chips. However, there were significant differences in properties between starch from dried chips and those from fresh tubers for a given variety of cassava. With the exception of WBC and solubility values which were higher for starch from dried chips, the values obtained for other properties were lower than starch from fresh tubers. Gblemoduade which had the lowest yield of starch gave the highest values for most of the properties studied. The results indicate that drying of the chips and varietal differences have some profound effects on the starch quality and yield. JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 1 Number 3, July (1999) pp. 53-5