Characterization of <i>Prata</i> Banana (<i>Musa</i> AAB‐<i>Prata</i>) Starch: Native and Modified by Annealing

Abstract

Abstract Prata variety banana starch is little known and has great economic potential due to its extensive cultivation in developing countries. This study characterizes this native starch and modifies by annealing at different temperatures (45, 50, and 55 °C). The native starch presents a high apparent amylose content (46.67%), besides it showing granules of several sizes and shapes containing rounded ends, which remain unchanged with the annealing. The weaker crystals are seen to be strengthened by the treatments at 50 and 55 °C, since the gelatinization onset and peak temperature increase. It also is possible to verify that the molecular order of the double amylopectin helices (Δ H ) remains unaltered, but the uniformity of the molecular structure ( T c − T o ) increases. Regarding the pasting properties, annealing contributes to improving the paste's stability to heat and shear, but contributes to decreasing the stability of cooled starch paste. In addition, annealing increases the paste clarity and the least gelation concentration. Native starch stands out by its high resistant starch content (34.71%), which can be increased to 74.5% through annealing at 55 °C.