Cereal Chem. 71:571-577   |  VIEW ARTICLE


Comparison of Yield and Properties of Amaranth Starches Using Wet and Dry-Wet Milling Processes.

J. Uriyapongson and P. Rayas-Duarte. Copyright 1994 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Starches from two amaranth grains (Amaranthus hypochondriacus times A. hybridus [K-343] and A. cruentus [K-283]) were isolated using a traditional wet-milling process and two dry-wet milling methods. The dry-wet methods included either a three-step or five- step abrasive milling (5-min each, in a modified barley pearler) followed by a short wet-milling to obtain starch-rich perisperm fractions. Protein content was not significantly different among starches isolated with these methods. The starch yield of the dry- wet milling was approximately 5.2% higher than that of the traditional wet-milling process. The properties of the isolated amaranth starches were compared to those of several commercial starches. The peak viscosity of amaranth starches was lower than that of potato and waxy corn starches, but higher than that of wheat and corn starches. The amaranth starches also showed high stability during the cooking cycle. The damaged starch values of the dry-wet milled and freeze-dried starch were higher than those of the wet-milled starch; viscosity and enthalpy of gelatinization were reduced, and clarity of the cold paste was increased. The A. cruentus starch used in this study had thermal properties, apparent viscosity, and intrinsic viscosity similar to that of waxy corn starch.