STARCH AND AMYLOPECTIN - EFFECTS OF SOLUTES ON CLARITY OF PASTES

The effect of sucrose, glucose and sodium chloride at different concen trations on clarity of starch and amylopectin pastes was studied. It w as found that clarity of amaranth, waxy corn and normal corn starch pa stes tended to increase by increasing carbohydrate concentrations. The percentage of transmittance (%T) values for the same starch sample wi th sucrose and glucose did not present significantly differences (alph a=0.05). The starches with sodium chloride did not show a defined patt ern. The %T for amaranth and waxy corn amylopectin pastes with all sol utes tended to increase by increasing solute concentration. Interestin gly, the %T values among all amylopectins at a given solute concentrat ion were significantly different (alpha=0.05) probably due to differen t chain length proportion in such amylopectins. The same amylopectin i n presence of sucrose and glucose did not show %T significantly differ ent (alpha=0.05) but with sodium chloride those values were different (alpha=0.05).