In vitro digestibility, physicochemical, thermal and rheological properties of banana starches.

Banana starches (BS) were isolated from Enano, Morado, Valery and Macho cultivars. The BS possessed B-type crystallinity and an amylose content varying from 19.32 to 26.35%. Granules had an oval morphology with different major-to-minor axis ratios, exhibiting both mono- and bi-modal distributions and mean particle sizes varying from 32.5 to 45 μm. BS displayed zeta-potential values ranging between -32.25 and -17.32 mV, and formed gels of incipient to moderate stability. The enthalpy of gelatinization of BS affected the crystalline order stability within the granules. In-vitro digestibility tests showed fractions as high as 68% of resistant starch. Rheological oscillatory tests at 1 Hz showed that BS dispersions (7.0%, w/w) exhibited Type III behaviour, attributed to the formation of a continuous phase complex three-dimensional amylose gel reinforced by swollen starch granules acting as fillers. Amylose content and granules morphology were the main factors influencing the BS properties.