Physico-Chemical Characterization of Culled Plantain Pulp Starch, Peel Starch, and Flour

Culled plantain pulp starch, peel starch, and peel flour were characterized for their value-addition. Scanning electron microscopy articulated the smooth irregular with elongated and spheroid shaped granules of both culled plantain pulp and peel starch. Culled plantain pulp starch has the highest purity and contained ash (0.1 g/100 g), fat (0.02 g/100 g), protein (0.9 g/100 g), and crude fibre (0.1 g/100 g) with 98 g/100 g whiteness (L* value). The culled plantain contains 40 g/100 g amylose and 77 g/100 g resistant starch. Similar type of viscosity values were found in culled plantain pulp and peel starch with same pasting temperature (84.9 degrees C) measured by Rapid Visco Analyzer. But, very low viscosity values were obtained in peel flour. Highest amount of swelling was 17.4 g/g in culled plantain pulp starch whereas highest amount of solubility (14.6 g/100 g) was recorded in peel flour at 90 degrees C among three samples. Maximum water holding capacity (14.6 g/g) was found in culled plantain pulp starch, followed by 13.5 g/g in peel starch and 8.8 g/g in peel flour at 90 degrees C. The high value of exudates from starch samples indicated unsuitability to use in frozen foods.