Correlation analysis on physicochemical and structural properties of sorghum starch

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Agricultural Science
• Material Science

Background:

• Sorghum starch is a vital component in food and industrial applications.
• Understanding its physicochemical and structural properties is crucial for optimizing its use.
• Apparent amylose content (AAC) is a key factor influencing starch behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the physicochemical and structural properties of 30 sorghum starch varieties.
• To investigate the relationship between apparent amylose content (AAC) and these properties.
• To differentiate sorghum starch types using principal component analysis (PCA).

Main Methods:

• Characterization of 30 sorghum starch samples.
• Measurement of physicochemical properties including enthalpy of gelatinization, viscosity, and swelling power.
• Analysis of structural properties like particle size and relative crystallinity.
• Statistical analysis including correlation and principal component analysis (PCA).

Main Results:

• Sorghum starch granules are irregular spheres/polygons with an average size of 14.5 μm.
• AAC ranged from 7.42% to 36.44%, correlating with relative crystallinities from 20.5% to 32.4%.
• Negative correlations were observed between AAC and enthalpy of gelatinization, peak viscosity, relative crystallinity, degree of double helix, degree of order, and swelling power.
• Positive correlations were found between AAC and cool paste viscosity and setback.
• PCA effectively distinguished between the 30 sorghum starch types based on 20 variables.

Conclusions:

• Apparent amylose content significantly influences the physicochemical and structural properties of sorghum starch.
• The findings provide valuable data for selecting and breeding sorghum varieties for specific food and non-food applications.
• This research aids in tailoring sorghum starch properties for optimized industrial utilization.