A comparative study of the physicochemical properties of starches from two lentil cultivars

Starches from two lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) cultivars (Laird and CC Gold) were isolated and some of the important characteristics determined. The yield of starch was 22% for Laird and 25% for CC Gold on a whole-seed basis. The shape of the starch granule was oval to elliptical to irregular, with granules 2.5–25 μm in diameter. Scanning electron micrographs revealed the presence of smooth surfaces. The total amylose content of Laird and CC Gold were 33.0 and 34.5%, respectively. The two starches differed with respect to the amount of amylose complexed by native lipids, granule crystallinity, the extent of granular swelling and amylose leaching, the degree of hydrolysis by porcine pancreatic α-amylase and 2.2 m HCl, pasting properties, gelatinization parameters and the extent of retrogradation.