Comparative studies of starch susceptibilities to α-amylase degradation of different cereal and root crops of Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this work was to determine the susceptibilities of starches from Nigeria’s high yielding local varieties of cassava and maize crops to α-amylase. Amylose/amylpectin content of each starch samples was determined. Susceptibilities to α-amylase were studied. The amylose/amylopectin content of the four starch samples varied; amylose content of starch from maize varieties was higher than those of cassava. Large differences in enzymes susceptibilities were observed when studied within 4 h with white maize having the highest value of dextrose equivalent of 42%, followed by yellow maize 37.5%, and cassava varieties, okoyawo 27.3% and odongbo 24.75%.

Keywords: Odongbo, Okoyawo, α-amylase, amylase, amylopectin.

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(29), pp. 4663-4669