Isolation and characterization of starch from pitomba endocarp

The seed of pitomba (Talisia esculenta) represents half the total weight of this exotic Brazilian fruit, highly appreciated in the north and northeast regions. Extracting starch from this seed is an alternative for the utilization of non-conventional starches. Thus, the present study aimed to extract starch from pitomba seed and characterize it with respect to physical, chemical, technological, thermal and morphological characteristics. Extraction was performed by grinding the seeds in sodium metabisulfite solution (0.2%) followed by drying at 50 °C. Starch yield was equal to 44.0%, with low contents of protein and lipid, 77.78% purity and amylose content of 19.25%, indicating low level of retrogradation after gelatinization. Water and oil absorption capacities were 89.49 and 85.07, respectively. Gelatinization temperature was 66.92 °C, maximum temperature was 72.84 °C, transition enthalpy was 4.70 J/g, peak viscosity was 2531 cP, final viscosity was 1607 cP, retrogradation viscosity was 551 cP, in addition to smoothed-surface granules with predominance of semi-elliptical shape, showing the potential of this starch to be used in food industry