Starch forms

Often, to make the endpoint of an iodine titration more obvious, an indicator solution that contains starch is added to the solution being titrated. Starch forms a deep blue complex with triiodide. Is", but it is colourless with l . As long as there is unreacted vitamin C in solution, no triiodide ions will be present in solution. Therefore, the blue colour will appear only at the endpoint. 

Carbohydrates form the major structural components of the cell walls. The most common form is cellulose which makes up over 30 per cent of the dry weight of wood. Other structural forms are hemicellulose (a mixed polymer of hexose and pentose sugars), pectins and chitin. Apart from contributing to the structure, some polymers also act as energy storage materials in living systems. Glycogen and starch form the major carbohydrate stores of animals and plants, respectively. Carbohydrate structure, like that of nucleic acids and proteins, is complex, and various levels of structure can be identified. 

The starch plasticization is obtained by gelatinization of the grains in low moisture conditions leading to the melting of the starch grains. This is the key phenomenon in the transformation of the whole corn plant. The plasticized starch forms a continuous matrix in which the defibrated fibers are embedded, as showed schematically in Figure 5.22. 

Reserve starch is usually formed in amyloplasts, although it is occasionally formed in chloroamyloplasts. These are chloroplasts that have lost their lamellar structure and subsequently start producing fairly large reserve starch granules.17 Chloroamyloplasts form starch independent of photosynthesis. They have been described in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves, Aloe leaves and flowers, central pith of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) fruit, Pellionia and Dieffenbachia stems, and other tissues.17,18 Such sources of reserve starch are insignificant, however, when compared to the reserve starch formed in roots, tubers and seeds. 

Most (—77%) of the dry matter of a potato tuber consists of starch granules. Starch forms the reserve material in the tuber for use in respiration and sprouting. Starch granules are formed from the very early stages of tuberization, as soon as the stolon... 

Recent experiments in our laboratory have shown that a thermal gradient is not necessary for complex formation with potato starch. In the presence of suitable compounds, the gelatinized potato starch forms helices under complex formation at isothermal conditions. The reaction takes place even at low concentrations of ligand compounds under conditions occuring in any food system containing potato starch. The reaction can easily be followed by amperome-tric titration with jodine (24). The complexes formed can be analyzed by using a combination of glucose determination and G.C. analysis. 

Potato taste is not characterized by one of the primary taste sensations. Especially sweet, sour or bitter notes are considered off-flavors. However, free amino acids and 5 -nucleotides are important compounds that convey an agreeable basic taste to potato products. The amino acids occur naturally in free form the 5 -nucleotides are liberated during the heat preparation of potatoes by a specific enzymatic degradation of RNA. Starch forms a matrix for all potato preparations. Although it is tasteless, is has an influence on taste quality due to textural characteristics, and due to its pronounced capability to form stable complexes with flavor compounds either in a thermal gradient or under isothermal conditions. 

Studies of dynamics in wet and dry carbohydrates have also been performed. Slow motions of polysaccharide chains in native starch and retrograding starch gels were monitored with two-dimensional 2H exchange and stimulated echo experiments.117 The effects of hydration on the dynamics of /j-cyclodextrin polymers have been examined with 13C T and H T p measurements,118 and WISE experiments were used to probe the effects of hydration on polysaccharide chains in maize starch forms A and B.119... 

Visually, the ordinary starch resembled an insoluble plastic film that flaked off easily in one piece. The degraded starches formed an adhesive, soluble film that did not peel off the surface. 

Both the amylose and amylopectin components of starch form complexes with iodine, but early studies showed that there is no connection between the iodine reaction and the reducibility of starch fractions.63 The complex of amylose is pure blue, whereas the complex of amylopectin is blue-violet.5864 Thus, the varying amylose-to-amylopectin ratio can be one of the factors responsible for the various shades of blue color exhibited by various varieties of starch. Amylopectin takes up less iodine than does amylose. Also the course of complex formation uptake is different, as is evident65 from Fig. 2. 

As with iodine, starch forms an inclusion complex with bromine vapor.205 Depending on the starch variety, different colors are developed by the complex. Maize and wheat produce an ochre color, rice produces a light-buff color, potato and sago develop a pale-yellow color, and cassava forms a cream color.69 Iodine cyanide (and bromine)-amylose complexes are brown-black and dark brown, respectively.206 The adsorption of chlorine and iodine proceeds according to the Freundlich isotherm. A discontinuity on the Freundlich isotherm plot is reported, which possibly results from the swelling of starch granules454... 

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