Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

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Food Chemistry
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem

Changes in resistant starch from two banana cultivars during

postharvest storage
Juan Wang, Xue Juan Tang, Ping Sheng Chen, Hui Hua Huang
College of Light Industry and Food Science, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road No. 381, Guangzhou 510641, China

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 5 September 2013
Received in revised form 15 January 2014
Accepted 3 February 2014
Available online 12 February 2014
Keywords:
Banana resistant starch
Physicochemical properties
Ripening stage
Starch structure

a b s t r a c t
Banana resistant starch samples were extracted and isolated from two banana cultivars (Musa AAA group,
Cavendish subgroup and Musa ABB group, Pisang Awak subgroup) at seven ripening stages during postharvest storage. The structures of the resistant starch samples were analysed by light microscopy, polarising microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy.
Physicochemical properties (e.g., water-holding capacity, solubility, swelling power, transparency,
starchiodine absorption spectrum, and Brabender microviscoamylograph prole) were determined.
The results revealed signicant differences in microstructure and physicochemical characteristics among
the banana resistant starch samples during different ripening stages. The results of this study provide
valuable information for the potential applications of banana resistant starches.
2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Resistant starch (RS) is dened by EURESTA (European FLAIR
Concerted Action on Resistant Starch) as the sum of starch and
products of starch degradation not absorbed in the small intestine
of healthy individuals (Asp, 1992). There are four types of RS: (1)
physically entrapped, inaccessible starch within whole or partially
milled seeds (RS1); (2) native granular starch, consisting of nongelatinised granules (RS2); (3) retrograded starch produced by food
processing applications (RS3); and (4) chemically modied starch
(RS4; Englyst, Kingman, & Cummings, 1992). RS has physiological
effects similar to those of prebiotics and dietary bre: RS stimulates the growth of benecial bacteria in the gut (e.g., bidobacteria) and increases the production of short-chain fatty acids
associated with gut immune function and microbiota modulation
(Fuentes-Zaragoza et al., 2011; Johnson & Gee, 1996). Additionally,
RS protects against several diseases, including type II diabetes,
colorectal cancer, and other diet-related chronic diseases (Niba,
2002; Topping & Clifton, 2001).
Several studies have focused on the functions of RS. Mutungi,
Rost, Onyango, Jaros, and Rohm (2009) studied the crystallinity
and the thermal and morphological characteristics of RS3 from
debranched cassava starch. Garcia-Rosas et al. (2009) assessed
the changes in maize tortilla RS content and structure during
storage. Aparicio-Saguilan et al. (2007) successfully prepared
Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 2087112851.
E-mail address: fehhuang@scut.edu.cn (H.H. Huang).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.02.012
0308-8146/ 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

slow-digestible cookies from RS-rich lintnerised banana starch. In

addition, Aparicio-Saguilan, Gutierrez-Meraz, Garcia-Suarez, Tovar,
and Bello-Perez (2008) investigated the physicochemical and functional properties of cross-linked banana RS. Ble-Castillo et al.
(2008) reported that banana RS our supplementation reduces
body weight and insulin resistance in obese individuals with type
II diabetes.
Unripe bananas are rich in RS2 (Johnson & Gee, 1996; Niba,
2002). As tropical and subtropical fruits, bananas are mainly
planted in tropical and subtropical zones. RS isolated from different banana cultivars may have different properties. Moreover, with
post-harvest storage, numerous enzymes transform the starches in
these fruits into different sugars. Consequently, the RS content of
bananas at different ripening stages may differ. However, few studies have focused on the changes of banana RS throughout storage.
This study assessed the changes in the content, physicochemical
and structural properties of RS from two banana cultivars (Musa
AAA group, Cavendish subgroup and Musa ABB group, Pisang Awak
subgroup) at different stages of maturity.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Materials
Two banana cultivars were used in this study: Musa AAA group,
Cavendish subgroup and Musa ABB group, Pisang Awak subgroup.
These cultivars were planted and sold in Guangdong province,
China. Using the criteria reported by SH Pratt Co. (Luton, United

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J. Wang et al. / Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

Kingdom; Soltani et al., 2011), the fruits were divided into seven
ripening states: 1-entirely green; 2-green with a trace of yellow;
3-more green than yellow; 4-more yellow than green; 5-yellow
with a trace of green; 6-entirely yellow; 7-entirely yellow with
brown speckles. Bananas at ripening stage 1 were selected and
purchased from a local market. Subsets of these bananas were
stored at room temperature for different periods of time to attain
ripening stages 27. However, only bananas at stages 15 were
used in this study because RS samples from bananas at stages 6
and 7 were colloid-like substances that were difcult to grind.
All chemicals used in this study were of analytical grade.
2.2. Isolation and determination of banana resistant starch (BRS)
content
Using the method reported by Cheng Yanfeng et al. (2008), bananas were peeled, pulped, and digested with pectinase and amylase to remove pectin, cellulose, protein, and digestible starch. The
digested banana pulp was centrifuged at 3 000 rpm for 15 min; the
resulting precipitate was dehydrated at 50 C, ground, and stored
at 5 C. RS content was determined by the method reported by
Goni, Garcia-Diz, Manas, & Saura-Calixto (1996). Briey, the method consisted of the removal of protein and digestible starch, the
solubilisation and enzymatic hydrolysis of RS, and the quantication of RS. Human gastric and intestinal conditions (pH and transit
time) were simulated.
2.3. Structural observations of BRS
2.3.1. Light microscopy and polarising microscopy
BRS samples were dissolved in glycerol (50% concentration) and
observed under a microscope (Vanox BHS-2, Olympus Corporation,
Japan) using both natural and polarised light.
2.3.2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Particles of BRS powder were scanned, using a S3700N scanning
electron microscope (Hitachi, Japan). Samples were xed on an
objective table coated with platinum (1020 nm thickness).
2.3.3. X-ray diffraction (XRD)
Cu Ka radiation was used to scan BRS samples over the 2h = 4
60 range, with a step interval of 0.04, a scanning rate of 17.7 s per
step, a voltage of 40 kV, and a current of 40 mA. The D8 ADVANCE
X-ray diffractometer from Bruker Corporation (Germany) was used
for the XRD analyses.
2.3.4. Infrared spectroscopy
BRS samples were pressed in KBr. An infrared spectrometer
(VECTOR33, Bruker Corporation, Germany) was used to scan the
samples from 4000 cm1 to 400 cm1 of the infrared region.
2.4. Physicochemical properties of BRS
2.4.1. Water-holding capacity (WHC)
WHC was measured by the method reported by Toyokawa,
Rubenthaler, Powers, and Schanus (1989). Briey, 20 ml of starch
suspension (5 g/100 ml) were transferred to centrifuge tubes and
heated in a water bath for 15 min at 50 C, 70 C, or 90 C. The
tubes were centrifuged at 3,000 rpm for 15 min. The supernatant
was discarded; tubes containing sediment were placed at a 45 angle for 10 min to allow water drainage and weighed. WHC was calculated by Eq. (1).

WHC %

m2  m1  m0
 100%
m0

where m0 is the weight of the starch sample, m1 is the weight of the

centrifuge tube, and m2 is the weight of the starch sample and centrifuge tube following water drainage.
2.4.2. Solubility and swelling power
Solubility (S) and swelling power (SP) were determined, using
the method reported by Aparicio-Saguiln et al. (2005). In this
experiment, 20 ml of starch suspension (5 g/100 ml) were transferred to centrifuge tubes and heated in a water bath for 30 min
at 50 C, 70 C, or 90 C. After the tubes had cooled to room temperature, they were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 min. The sediment
and supernatant were separated; the sediment was dried and
weighed. S and SP were calculated using Eqs. (2) and (3),
respectively.

S %

A
 100%
W

SP %

D
 100%
W1  S

where A is the weight of dry dissolved solids in the supernatant, W

is the weight of the sample, and D is the weight of the sediment.
2.4.3. Transparency
An aqueous starch solution was preparing by mixing 1.0 g of
starch with 99.0 g of water. This solution was heated in a boiling
water bath for 15 min under continuous stirring and subsequently
cooled to room temperature. The transparency of the resulting
starch paste was detected at 620 nm (UV-1800 spectrophotometer,
Shimadzu Co., Japan). Distilled water was used as a blank control,
which was considered to have a transparency of 100%.
2.4.4. Starchiodine absorption spectra
Spectra of iodine-bound starch samples were determined, using
the method reported by Klucinec and Thompson (1998). BRS
(50 mg) was dispersed into 10.0 ml of DMSO containing 10% of
6.0 M urea. Subsequently, 2.0 ml of the dispersed solution, 25 ml
of distilled water, and 1.0 ml of I2-KI (2.0 mg I2/ml and 20.0 mg
KI/ml) were pipetted into a 50 ml volumetric ask and mixed.
The mixed solution was brought to a volume of 50 ml with distilled
water. Control solutions were prepared without BRS. A UVvisible
spectrophotometer (UV-1800, Shimadzu Co., Japan) was used to
scan each sample from 500 to 800 nm; kmax for each sample was
dened as the wavelength that resulted in the highest absorbance
value.
2.4.5. Pasting properties
A microviscoamylograph (Visgraph-E, Brabender Instruments,
Inc., Germany) was used to determine the viscosity proles (in
Brabender units, BU) of the starch samples. Dispersions of BRS
(6%, dry basis) were transferred to the microviscoamylograph
and subjected to thorough agitation. The dispersion was brought
to an initial temperature of 30 C and subsequently to 95 C at a
rate of 1.5 C/min. The temperature of the dispersion was maintained at 95 C for 30 min; subsequently, the dispersion was cooled
to 50 C at a rate of 1.5 C/min and maintained at 50 C for 30 min
(Aparicio-Saguiln et al., 2005).
2.5. Statistical analyses
Data were analysed by the SPSS statistical software package,
v19.0 (IBM company). Data were expressed as means standard
deviation. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to
compare the different BRS samples, Levenes test was used to assess homogeneity of variances, and the Bonferroni test was used
for multiple comparisons. Statistical signicance was set at

J. Wang et al. / Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

P < 0.05. Values followed by the same letter in the same row or column are not signicantly different (P < 0.05) in the tables.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Changes in BRS content during ripening
BRS content gradually decreased during storage. Cavendish BRS
content decreased rapidly during the rst four ripening stages but
decreased slowly during the nal three ripening stages. In contrast,
Pisang Awak BRS content decreased slowly during the initial three
ripening stages but decreased rapidly during the nal four ripening
stages. At the same ripening stage, Pisang Awak bananas consistently had higher BRS content than had Cavendish bananas. There
were signicant differences in BRS content between the two banana cultivars, a result that may be attributed to differences in enzymatic reactions that convert starches into sugars. The reaction rate
of Cavendish bananas was possibly faster, thereby contributing to a
rapid reduction in BRS content.
3.2. Structural changes in BRS during ripening
3.2.1. Light microscopy and polarising microscopy
Most starch particles in the Cavendish cultivar were oval in
shape, whereas others were spindly. In contrast, starch granules
in the Pisang Awak cultivar were generally round in shape, while
others were triangular (Figs. 1a and b). In both cultivars, the edges
of the starch particles were completely intact and sharply dened
during the rst ripening stage. A subset of starch particles degraded at subsequent ripening stages; this phenomenon might be
attributed to the enzymatic hydrolysis of banana starches.
Starch particles were observed by polarising microscopy
(Figs. 1c and d). Maltese crosses were evident in these particles under polarised light, with certain particles exhibiting cross patterns
and other particles displaying X-shaped patterns. The points of
these crosses were located at the top and end of the starch particles. In the Cavendish cultivar, the Maltese crosses became weak
at ripening stages 4 and 5; in the Pisang Awak cultivar, the crosses
became weak at ripening stage 5. This result revealed that there
were differences in the crystalline structures of RS between the
two cultivars.
3.2.2. SEM
Fig. 1e and f shows the microscopic appearance of BRS from
Cavendish and Pisang Awak. Most starch particles had smooth surfaces during the initial ripening stages, whereas enzymatic effects
caused starch particle surfaces to become rough and wrinkled during post-harvest ripening. At ripening stage 5, there were more degraded and broken starch granules in the Cavendish cultivar than
in the Pisang Awak cultivar, suggesting that maturation processes
occurred more quickly in Cavendish bananas than in Pisang Awak
bananas. This result revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis in Cavendish bananas was faster than that in Pisang Awak bananas.
3.2.3. XRD
XRD analyses revealed three major diffraction peaks for Cavendish BRS and four major diffraction peaks for Pisang Awak BRS. A
reduction in the diffraction peaks during ripening indicates a loss
in the crystallinity of starch structures. The crystallinities are summarised in Table 1. In the Cavendish cultivar, the relative degree of
crystallinity of RS decreased very slowly from ripening stages 12
and diminished rapidly during ripening stages 3 and 4; the differences were signicant. In the Pisang Awak cultivar, the relative degree of crystallinity of RS decreased from ripening stages 14; the
differences were signicant. In both cultivars, the crystallinity of

321

RS decreased slowly from ripening stages 45; however, the differences were signicant. Crystallinity, which represents the degree
of structural order, has signicant effects on hardness, density,
transparency, and diffusion (Oxford dictionary of science., 1999).
In the two banana cultivars, RS crystallinity was not reduced at
the same rate, suggesting that the crystallization behaviour in
starches is possibly different among banana varieties.
3.2.4. Infrared spectroscopy
Similar IR spectra of RS were obtained at all ve ripening stages
for Cavendish and Pisang Awak, indicating that the characteristic
functional groups of RS were not affected by the maturation
process (Fig. 2). The broad band at 3400 cm1 is caused by OH
groups, whereas the band at 2800 cm1 is generated by CH2 groups
(Garcia-Rosas et al., 2009). The peak at 1600 cm1 results from
carboxylate ion (COO) stretching vibrations in carboxylate
groups. The IR bands at 1300 cm1 and 1022 cm1 are produced
by COH bending and COH bending vibrations, respectively.
The skeletal modes of the pyranose ring generate the peak at
620 cm1.
3.3. Physicochemical properties of BRS
3.3.1. WHC
The WHC of BRS at 50 C, 70 C, and 90 C is shown in Table 2. In
general, higher WHC was obtained at higher temperatures. In the
Cavendish cultivar, higher WHC were observed during ripening
stage 4. In the Pisang Awak cultivar, BRS had the highest WHC during ripening stage 5 at 50 C and 70 C and during ripening stage 3
at 90 C. Therefore, different maturity levels of Cavendish and Pisang Awak bananas should be chosen for BRS extraction and applications in accordance with the different temperature-dependent
characteristics of banana fruits and relevant WHC requirements.
3.3.2. Solubility and swelling power
In Cavendish, RS solubility increased with ripening (Table 2).
Therefore, at 50 C, 70 C, and 90 C, higher BRS solubility was observed at ripening stage 5 than at the rst four ripening stages. In
Pisang Awak, BRS solubility at 50 C was higher at ripening stages 4
and 5 than at ripening stages 13. However, complete BRS solubility was observed at ripening stages 5 and 3 at 70 C and 90 C,
respectively.
In Cavendish, there were no signicant differences in BRS swelling power among the ve ripening stages. In Pisang Awak, BRS had
the highest swelling power during the rst ripening stage.
3.3.3. Transparency
In both cultivars, BRS transparency gradually decreased during
storage (Table 2). During ripening stage 5, transparency declined.
At ripening stages 1 and 2, higher BRS transparency was observed
for the Cavendish cultivar than for the Pisang Awak cultivar; however, the opposite was observed at ripening stages 35.
3.3.4. Starchiodine absorption spectra
It has been reported that the maximum absorption wavelengths
are lower for amylopectin-iodine solutions than for amylose-iodine solutions (Baldwin, Bear, & Rundle, 1944). Klucinec and
Thompson (1998), who focused on different fractions of high-amylose maize starches, concluded that the maximum absorption
wavelengths of amylose ranges from 643 to 655 nm but that the
maximum absorption wavelengths of amylopectin ranges from
559 to 583 nm. The starchiodine absorption spectra of BRS are
shown in Fig. 3. The maximum absorption wavelengths (kmax) of
Cavendish BRS ranged from 560 to 580 nm, whereas the maximum
absorption wavelengths of Pisang Awak BRS ranged from 570 to
610 nm, indicating that Cavendish BRS contains more amylopectin

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J. Wang et al. / Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

(a) Optical microscopy images (200) of Musa AAA Cavendish BRS

(b) Optical microscopy images (200) of Musa ABB Pisang Awak BRS

(c) Polarised light microscopy images (200) of Musa AAA Cavendish BRS

(d) Polarised light microscopy images (200) of Musa ABB Pisang Awak BRS

(e) Scanning electron microscopy images (500) of Musa AAA Cavendish BRS

(f) Scanning electron microscopy images (500) of Musa ABB Pisang Awak BRS
Fig. 1. Optical microscopy, polarised light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images of resistant starch samples isolated from bananas at different ripening
stages. (The numbers 15 indicate the ripening stage of each banana sample.)

and less amylose than does Pisang Awak BRS. The maximum
absorption wavelengths of Cavendish BRS at ripening stages 15
were similar at approximately 570 nm. However, the maximum
absorption wavelengths of Pisang Awak BRS shifted as bananas
matured through ripening stages 15. In particular, for ripening

stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the kmax of Pisang Awak BRS samples occurred at 585, 600, 605, 573, and 595 nm, respectively, suggesting
that the amylopectin content of Pisang Awak BRS decreased
quickly prior to ripening stage 3, causing kmax to shift to wavelengths near the maximum absorption wavelength of amylose. It

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J. Wang et al. / Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

Table 1
The relative degrees of crystallinity (%) of banana resistant starch samples.*
Banana variety

Ripe stage

Musa AAA Cavendish

Musa ABB Pisang Awak

33.8 0.4a
43.1 0.6a

33.6 0.3a
40.6 0.4b

33.1 0.2b
36.9 0.3c

24.4 0.6c
33.5 0.3d

23.5 0.4d
32.9 0.2e

Values followed by the same letter in the same row are not signicantly different (P < 0.05).
*
Mean of three replicates standard error.

Fig. 2. Infrared spectra of resistant starch samples isolated from bananas at different ripening stages. (The numbers 15 indicate the ripening stage of each banana sample.)

Table 2
The water-holding capacity, solubility, swelling power, and transparency of resistant starch samples isolated from bananas at different ripening stages.*
Banana variety

Water-holding capacity (%)

Musa AAA Cavendish

Musa ABB Pisang Awak

Solubility (%)
Musa AAA Cavendish

Musa ABB Pisang Awak

Swelling power (%)

Musa AAA Cavendish

Musa ABB Pisang Awak

Transparency (%)
Musa AAA Cavendish
Musa ABB Pisang Awak

Temperature (C)

Ripe stage
1

50
70
90
50
70
90

1.131 0.016d
1.093 0.014e
2.513 0.012d
1.219 0.013b
1.274 0.011b
3.213 0.014c

1.197 0.013c
1.201 0.010d
2.606 0.012c
1.130 0.016c
1.273 0.019b
3.161 0.020c

1.395 0.015b
1.459 0.016c
3.006 0.010b
1.130 0.015c
1.296 0.017b
3.675 0.019a

1.598 0.012a
1.816 0.013a
3.716 0.013a
1.159 0.021c
1.306 0.015ab
3.543 0.023b

1.569 0.016a
1.700 0.011b
3.034 0.014b
1.432 0.020a
1.345 0.016a
2.190 0.013d

50
70
90
50
70
90

1.50 0.04e
1.69 0.05e
5.31 0.05e
1.30 0.04d
1.50 0.07d
6.99 0.06c

2.19 0.06
2.79 0.07
5.84 0.08
1.90 0.03
1.90 0.04
6.99 0.06

2.54 0.08c
3.77 0.05c
6.86 0.05c
2.57 0.05b
3.56 0.06b
9.70 0.07a

3.34 0.08b
4.82 0.05b
7.14 0.07b
3.30 0.08a
3.40 0.05b
8.40 0.06b

6.22 0.06a
6.93 0.07a
9.24 0.05a
3.19 0.08a
4.49 0.10a
6.98 0.04c

50
70
90
50
70
90

88.32 3.47
87.76 3.27
85.13 4.18
96.98 2.13a
100.86 2.67a
98.37 2.16a

86.34 3.01
89.00 3.19
88.36 2.96
91.98 1.72ab
91.91 2.19b
93.19 1.70ab

84.86 3.88
86.58 4.35
86.77 3.13
88.87 1.81b
88.86 1.92b
86.95 1.89b

83.54 3.61
84.36 3.42
84.54 3.82
91.25 2.51ab
91.80 2.22b
92.74 2.14ab

84.17 3.32
86.06 3.50
85.16 3.78
89.46 2.07b
89.80 2.64b
89.34 2.49b

25
25

2.893 0.017a
2.727 0.021a

2.701 0.014b
2.559 0.023b

2.17 0.036c
2.377 0.026c

1.096 0.039d
2.271 0.031d

0.832 0.013e
1.506 0.017e

d
d
d
c
c
c

Values followed by the same letter in the same row are not signicantly different (P < 0.05).
*
Mean of three replicates standard error.

is likely that amylose was rapidly degraded between ripening

stages 3 and 4, causing kmax to shift to 573 nm. At ripening stage
5, both amylopectin and amylose contents continued to decrease
in the Cavendish and Pisang Awak cultivars, as indicated by a
reduction in the starchiodine absorption peaks with increasing
banana fruit maturity.

3.3.5. Pasting properties

The pasting properties of BRS were measured by a Brabender
microviscoamylograph; the results are shown in Table 3. The initial
gelatinisation temperatures of Cavendish BRS were similar during
ripening stages 13, whereas the gelatinisation temperatures of Pisang Awak BRS increased as banana fruits matured. In Cavendish

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J. Wang et al. / Food Chemistry 156 (2014) 319325

Fig. 3. Starchiodine absorption spectra of resistant starch samples isolated from bananas at different ripening stages. (The numbers 15 indicate the ripening stage of each
banana sample.)
Table 3
Banana resistant starch viscosity parameters, as measured by the Brabender microviscoamylograph .*
Banana variety

Ripe stage

A(C)

B(BU)

C(BU)

D(BU)

E(BU)

F(BU)

B-D(BU)

E-D(BU)

E-B(BU)

Musa AAA Cavendish

1
2
3
1
2
3

78.8 0.5a
78.4 0.7a
79.1 0.7a
65.5 1.0b
79.9 0.8c
80.0 0.7c

498 35a
469 31a
466 23a
302 26b
270 31b
266 37b

490 36a
467 32a
462 28a
300 26b
263 37b
262 44b

377 40a
311 30b
328 39b
240 35c
209 24c
230 40c

588 33a
501 35b
496 31b
329 22c
292 30c
345 37c

519 26a
445 34b
442 33b
293 20c
272 32c
314 31c

121
158
138
62
61
36

211
190
168
89
83
115

90
32
30
27
22
79

Musa ABB Pisang Awak

BU = Brabender unit.
Values followed by the same letter in the same column are not signicantly different (P < 0.05).
A-initial gelatinization temperature; B-peak viscosity (BU); C-viscosity at 95 C (BU); D-viscosity after 30 min at 95 C (BU); E-viscosity at 50 C (BU); F-viscosity after
30 min at 50 C (BU); B-D: Breakdown; E-D: Consistency. E-B: Setback. Mean of three replicates standard error.

BRS, the properties of peak viscosity after gelatinisation (point B),

viscosity at 95 C (point C), viscosity at 50 C (point E), and viscosity after 30 min at 50 C (point F) decreased during ripening stages
13, whereas the viscosity after 30 min at 95 C (point D) was not
affected. In contrast, in Pisang Awak BRS, only the peak viscosity at
point B and the viscosity at 95 C (point C) decreased during ripening stages 13. The viscosity of Cavendish BRS was consistently
higher than the viscosity of Pisang Awak BRS at points AF. Cavendish BRS had the highest peak viscosity (point B) during the rst
ripening stage.
The heat stability of BRS paste determines the viscosity after
30 min of incubation at 95 C (B-D; breakdown), whereas the cold
stability of BRS determines the viscosity after 30 min of incubation
at 50 C (E-D; consistency). The setback refers to the difference between the peak viscosity after gelatinisation and the viscosity at
50 C (Qian & Kuhn, 1999). In this study, Cavendish BRS had the
highest breakdown (B-D) and consistency (E-D) values at ripening
stage 2 and the maximum setback (E-B) value at ripening stage 1.
Pisang Awak BRS had the highest breakdown value during the rst
ripening stage and the highest consistency and setback values during ripening stage 3. Moreover, higher breakdown (B-D), consistency (E-D), and setback (E-B) values were obtained from
Cavendish BRS than from Pisang Awak BRS, with the exception of
the setback (E-B) value at the third ripening stage.

4. Conclusions
The results of this study revealed that RS content decreased
during postharvest storage. At the same ripening stage, BRS content was consistently higher for the Pisang Awak cultivar than
for the Cavendish cultivar.
Light microscopy and SEM observations revealed that BRS particles in the two banana cultivars exhibited different microscopic
characteristics. Starch particles from Cavendish BRS were oval,
whereas starch granules from Pisang Awak BRS were round. The
Cavendish banana fruits matured more quickly than did the Pisang

Awak banana fruits. The Maltese crosses of BRS were clear under
polarised light at the beginning of storage but became weak during
the ripening process. BRS crystallinity gradually decreased during
the ripening process. The infrared spectra of Cavendish and Pisang
Awak BRS were similar and remained relatively unaffected
throughout the maturation of banana fruits, suggesting that the
typical functional groups of RS were well maintained at all ve
examined ripening stages.
Differences in WHC, solubility, swelling power, and transparency were observed in BRS from the two cultivars and at different
ripening stages. Starchiodine absorption spectra indicated that
Cavendish BRS contained more amylopectin and less amylose than
did Pisang Awak BRS. The degradation processes of amylopectin
and amylose in the two cultivars were asynchronous. Pasting properties, determined by Brabender microviscoamylograph analyses,
revealed differences in the heat stability (breakdown value), cold
stability, and setback characteristics of BRS from the two cultivars
at ripening stages. In general, viscosity values were higher for
Cavendish BRS than for Pisang Awak BRS. These results reveal that
appropriate cultivars and ripening stages should be chosen for the
preparation of RS products.

Acknowledgments
This research was supported by The National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Grant No. 31301530), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, SCUT(Grant No.
2013ZM0063), the Foundation for Distinguished Young Talents in
Higher Education of Guangdong, China (Grant No. LYM10016)
and the Bureau of Science and Information Technology of Guangzhou, China (Grant No. 2013J4100056).

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