CHARACTERIZATION OF FERMENTED CASSAVA STARCHES

Fermented and nonfermented cassava (Manihot utilissima Pohl) starches from Colombia and Brazil were studied. The DSC thermograms obtained at high water contents (water:starch 3.1 to 4.2) showed that starch ferm entation decreased both the temperature of gelatinization (Tmax) and t hat of final gelatinization. No significant differences were found bet ween the enthalpies of gelatinization of fermented and non-fermented s tarches. Differences in Delta H corresponding to the first endothermic transition of fermented and nonfermented samples were detected at low water contents (water:starch 1.0 to 0.4). Pastes obtained with nonfer mented starches were more viscous than those corresponding to fermente d samples. This behavior could be related to the greater solubility of the fermented samples, leading to a smaller size of hydrated granules .