METHODS FOR ESTIMATION OF STARCH - A CRITICAL-APPRAISAL

Accurate analysis of starch in food and food products is of vital impo rtance due to consequent implications in nutritional and functional as pects. This review analyses available estimation methods, factors affe cting their reliability, merits and limitations. Among different metho ds, the enzymic method for starch estimation is most accurate. However , the literature survey indicated that the acid hydrolysis method, alt hough less accurate in presence of non-starchy carbohydrates, is being widely used for starch estimation in various food products and comple x food materials.