Processing properties of lotus starch

The object of this work is to investigate processing properties of the starch in details, including chemical components, particle size, paste, thermal properties, starch shape and surface structure, and resistant to enzyme hydrolysis. The results show that the chemical compositions of lotus starch are: 15.32% moisture, 0.16% protein, 0.07% fat, 0.02% fiber, 0.54% ash, 0.053% phosphorus, respectively. The amylose content is higher(30.61%) in lotus starch than in that of corn starch. The average particle size(diameters) are 50.27 μm and 38.97 μm for lotus and corn starches separately. The lotus starch granules are small rounded and typical oval shaped granules, but some have dents or hollows at one end. Lotus starch exhibite a B-type X-ray diffraction pattern. The gelatinization temperature is: 54.09℃, clarity 57.9%. The pasting property was also observed. The lotus starch is characterized by a plateau when the maximum viscosity is reached. And the peak viscosity of lotus starch paste is much lower than that of corn starch. This study contributes to the higher extraction rate and purity of lotus starch, and to its utilization.