[Evaluation of the starch fraction in corn products consumed regionally]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate through conventional analytical procedures, the degree of modification of the starch fraction of regional products based on corn, such as grits, flours, precooked grits, flakes, precooked flour, "frangollo" and "locrillo." Based on the interpretation of changes in the starch fraction, the following conclusions are reached. Corn grits, flours, "frangollo" and "locrillo" are raw corn products subjected to physical processes such as shelling, degermination and size reduction. They do not show changes in their physicochemical characteristics. Precooked grits present certain structural modification (among others, changes in their rheologic behavior) and partial molecular change (among others, changes in the insoluble carbohydrate fraction), indicating that they have been subjected to processes wherein factors such as temperature, moisture and/or pressure intervene. Corn flakes and precooked flours show a high enzyme digestibility and a high degree of change in their functional properties (mainly, in regard to solubility, absorption and viscosity). These changes indicate modification at granular and molecular level.