Morphological, thermal and rheological properties of starches separated from rice cultivars grown in India

Morphological, thermal and rheological properties of starches separated from five rice cultivars (PR-106, PR-114, IR-8, PR-103 and PR-113), varying in amylose content, were studied. Amylose contents of starches separated from PR-103, IR-8, PR-106, PR-114 and PR-113 were 7.83, 15.62, 16.05, 16.13 and 18.86%, respectively. The granular size, measured using a Scanning Electron Microscope, varied from 2.4 to 5.4 μm in all rice starches. PR-103 starch, with lowest average granular size, amylose content and solubility, had the highest swelling power, while PR-113 starch, with the highest average granular size and amylose content had the lowest swelling power. PR-103 starch showed highest transition temperatures, enthalpies of gelatinization, peak height index, range and enthalpies of retrogradation. The retrogradation (%) was observed to be highest in PR-113 starch and lowest in PR-103 starch. The changes in rheological parameters of rice starches during heating were measured using a Dynamic rheometer. PR-113 rice starch showed the highest G′, G″ and breakdown in G′ values, whereas PR-103 starch showed the lowest values for these parameters. Turbidity value of gelatinized pastes from all rice starches progressively increased up to the 3rd day during refrigerated storage, PR-103 starch paste showed the lowest turbidity value and PR-113 starch showed the highest value. The syneresis (%) of starch pastes, from different rice cultivars during storage at 4 °C, was also measured. The syneresis of starch pastes from all rice cultivars, except PR-103, increased with storage. PR-103 starch paste showed negligible syneresis during storage.