Analysis of resistant starch: a method for foods and food products

A method for resistant starch (RS) determination in food and food products is proposed. The main features are: removal of protein; removal of digestible starch; solubilization and enzymatic hydrolysis of RS; and quantification of RS as glucose released. Stomach and intestine physiological conditions (pH, transit time) were approximately simulated. All operations were performed in a 50ml centrifuge tube. Reference materials and food products were analysed by three laboratories. Statistical analysis included repeatability and reproducibility. This procedure is quite satisfactory for starchy foods containing appreciable quantities of RS and it may be useful for nutritional labelling of foodstuffs. For samples containing ⩽ 1% RS, differences are not significant and they can be considered as foods with a negligible RS content.