A novel starch from Pongamia piñata seeds: Comparison of its thermal and rheological properties with starches from other botanical sources.

Abstract

Pongamia pinnata seed (PPS) starch was studied for its physicochemical, thermal, rheological and morphological properties. As PPS starch is a novel starch, it was compared with corn, mung bean, potato, pearl millet and mango kernel starches. Peak, trough and final viscosity of PPS starch was found the lowest as compared to other starches. Plots of shear stress versus shear rate for starch pastes were plotted and fitted to Herschel-Bulkley model. Yield stress and consistency index value of starch pastes varied between 6.5 and 58.9 Pa and 1.4-10.6 Pa s, respectively. During frequency sweep testing, G' and G'' values of starch pastes varied between 33 and 484 Pa and 18-71 Pa, PPS starch paste had the lowest values. Transition temperatures (Tο, Tp, Tc) for PPS starch was 61.5, 72.1 and 82.9 °C, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy of PPS starch showed small to large and round to oval shape starch granules with small pitches on their surface.