Abstract

Gelatinization temperature of starches from different varieties of cereals, deep-red sorghum, red sorghum, white sorghum, mixed sorghum, white fonio (Digitaria exilis), black fonio (Digitaria iburua), Eleusine coracana (tamba), proso millet (p. miliacium), brown top millet (p. ramosum) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) were determined by electrical conductivity (EC) method. Among the untreated starches, the results showed that tamba recorded the least onset and peak gelatinization temperatures of 53.0^oC and 63.0^oC respectively while the highest onset gelatinization temperature, 76^oC was recorded with proso millet. Proso millet and finger millet had the highest peak gelatinization temperature. deep-red sorghum and red sorghum had the least end gelatinization temperature while proso millet recorded the highest value. The 0.1MKCl treatment of cereals starches produced elevated onset gelatinization temperatures (62.0-78.0^oC). Mixed sorghum had the least onset gelatinization temperature while proso millet and finger millet recorded the highest gelatinization temperature. Following the 0.1MKCl treatment, starches from tamba and proso millet recorded the least and highest peak gelatinization temperatures respectively. Deep-red and red sorghum recorded the least end gelatinization temperatures while proso millet, brown top millet and finger millet recorded the highest end gelatinization temperatures. The treatment of the cereals starches with 0.10MKCl significantly (p < 0.05) delayed the onset gelatinization temperature of the starches and narrowed the gelatinization temperature range. The results of the conductivity of both the 0.1MKCl treated and untreated starch showed nonlinearity within the gelatinization range. This finding has important implication on the energy and time requirement to gelatinize the starch for specific industrial use.

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