Production of resistant starch from taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) corm and determination of its effects on health by in vitro methods

The aim of the study was the production of resistant starch from taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) corm and determination of its effects on health by in vitro methods. Starch was isolated from taro corms with 98% purity, and 10.4 ± 0.5% amylose content. By application of heating, autoclaving, enzymatic debranching, retrogradation, and drying processes to taro starch for two times, resistant starch (RS) content was increased 16 fold (35.1 ± 1.9%, dry basis). The expected glycemic index (eGI) of taro starch and taro resistant starch was determined as 60.6 ± 0.5 and 51.9 ± 0.9, respectively and the decrease in the glycemic index of taro resistant starch was found as statistically significant (P < 0.05). The in vitro binding of bile acids by taro starch and taro resistant starch relative to cholesterol decreasing drug cholestyramine were 5.2 ± 0.2% and 7.6 ± 1.7%, respectively.