Relationship between α-amylase degradation and amylose/amylopectincontent of maize starches

Many unique functional properties of starch have been utilized for industrial applications. These properties are influenced by the granular and molecular structures of starch.The amylose/amylopectin content in two maize starch samples of differing cultivars were measured. The starches were then subjected to enzymatic digestibility by α- amylase. The degree of hydrolysis of each starch sample was compared with amylose/amylopectin content. Starches from the two varieties of maize showed variable susceptibilities to B. cereus α-amylase attack. The degrees of hydrolysis are 37.5 % (yellow maize) and 42.0% (white maize). The amylopectin content of the two starches are 59.33 % (white maize) and 64.24 % (yellow maize). This suggests that the amylopectin content was inversely related to susceptibility by B.cereus α-amylase attack. The maize starch with the higher amylose content has the higher value of dextrose equivalent