In vitro digestibility and some physicochemical properties of starch from wild and cultivated amadumbe corms.

Amadumbe, commonly known as taro, is an indigenous underutilised tuber to Southern Africa. In this study, starch functional properties and in vitro starch digestibility of processed products from wild and cultivated amadumbe were determined. Starch extracts from both amadumbe types had similar contents of total starch (approx. 95%). Wild and cultivated amadumbe starch granules were polygonal and very small in size (2.7 ± 0.9 μm). Amylose content of wild amadumbe (20%) was about double that of cultivated (12%). By DSC, the peak gelatinisation temperatures of wild and cultivated amadumbe starches were 81 and 85°C, respectively. The slowly digestible starch (SDS); 20% and resistant starch (RS); 64% contents of wild amadumbe appeared slightly higher than those of cultivated. Processing amadumbe into boiled and baked products did not substantially affect SDS and RS contents. Estimated glycaemic index of processed products ranged from 40 to 44%. Thus, amadumbe, both wild and cultivated, present some potential in the formulation of products for diabetics and weight management.