The starch was prepared from kiwifruit during post-harvest ripening. (
1) Scanning electron microscopies showed a gradual disintegration of t
issues and a decomposition of a surface of the starch. (2) Photopasteg
ram of kiwifruit starch showed that the initial temperature of gelatin
ization dropped by ripening, from 66-degrees-C to 64-degrees-C after 6
days storage, and to 62-degrees-C after 12 days storage. Decrease of
transmittance was not observed prior to the drop of initial temperatur
e of the gelatinization. (3)Kiwifruit starch showed B-pattern on X-ray
diffractometry and the pattern did not change during ripening. (4) Ki
wifruit starch was debranched by isoamylase and fractionated to three
fractions (F-I, F-II and F-III) by gel-filtration on Sephadex G-75. By
measuring of lambdamax, it was suggested that F-I was originated from
amylose, and F-II and F-III was originated from amylopectin. Amylose
(F-1) content increased during ripening from 8.1% to 13.0% after 6 day
s storage and 19.1% after 12 days storage. It was estimated that the i
ncrease was caused by decomposition of amylopectin. The degree of poly
merization of F-II and F-III were in the range of 34 approximately 36
and 14 approximately 16, respectively, throughout the ripening.