AISLAMIENTO Y CARACTERIZACIÓN DEL ALMIDÓN DE MAÍCES PIGMENTADOS ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STARCH FROM PIGMENTED MAIZES

Pigmented maize grains contain anthocyanins which can have nutraceutical properties. Two pigmented maize varieties (black and blue) and white maize (control) were studied. Starch isolated from pigmented maize had lower amylose content than white maize (27%); this is important in the functional properties of products prepared with these maize varieties. Starches exhibited Maltese cross, indicating that an order exists in the granule. The X-ray diffraction pattern (long-range order) of starches was type A, but pigmented maize, had a higher level of crystallinity, results that concur with those determined for FTIR spectroscopy which measures short-range order. Temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization were not different (p>0.05); this may be related to length and distribution of starch chains. These results can be useful for determining the conditions and type of processing for pigmented maize and for predicting starch response during storage of the products made from this cereal.