Composition, molecular structure, and physicochemical properties of starches from two grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) cultivars grown in Canada

The morphology, molecular structure and physicochemical properties of starches from two cultivars (NC8A97, Lath 96) of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) were examined. In both cultivars, starch granules were irregular to oval to round to elliptical shaped, with smooth surfaces. No significant differences was observed between the cultivars with respect to mean granule diameter (26.3–27.3 μm), mean granule length (32–34.5 μm), amylose content (37.95–38.30%), bound lipid content (0.08%), amylopectin chain length distribution, average chain length (19.2) and X-ray diffraction pattern (‘C’ type). However, NC8A97 and Lath 96 starches differed significantly with respect to the degree of crystallinity (Lath 96 > NC8A97), B-polymorphic content (Lath 96 > NC8A97), granular swelling (NC8A97 > Lath 96), extent of amylose leaching (NC8A97 > Lath 96), peak viscosity (Lath 96 > NC8A97), shear stability (Lath 96 > NC8A97), set-back (NC8A97 > Lath 96) and susceptibility towards enzyme and acid hydrolysis (NC8A97 > Lath 96). The results showed that physicochemical properties of the grass pea starches were influenced by the extent of interaction between starch chains (Lath 96 > NC897) in the amorphous regions, amount of crystallites (NC8A97 > Lath 96) and crystallite heterogeneity (NC8A97 > Lath 96).