Characterizing Physicochemical Properties of Enset Starch

Enset (Ensete ventricosum, family musaceae) is a plant of Ethiopia. Ethiopians are farmed enset plant for food uses. It is very similar to the banana plant (Musa acuminate, Family musaceae) and hence termed “false banana”. However, the starch of enset plant is stored in major quantities in the pseudostem and underground corms. The properties of the enset starch were not studied in detail. The native enset starch (ES) was evaluated for proximate composition and physicochemical properties. The enset starch properties, such as bulk density, tapped density, granule size, color of enset starch powder and gel, pH, swelling capacity, solubility, and gelatinization properties were examined. Sorption isotherm of enset starch was studied. The effect of NaCl and sucrose on swelling capacity, solubility and gelatinization properties has been examined. The kinetics of gelatinization of enset starch (starch:water weight ratio, 1:2) were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).