A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF PROCEDURES FOR THE ISOLATION OF BARLEY STARCH

Abstract

A study has been made of the methods available for isolating and purifying barley starch granules. A detailed examination involving light and scanning electron microscopy and Coulter counter analysis has indicated that discarding the brown protein layer, which appears on top of centrifuged suspensions of crude starch, results in severe loss of small granules. A protocol is suggested whereby this brown layer is purified separately and then added back to the white layer to give representative starch granule preparations without loss of small granules.