Starch is a versatile ingredient in the food industry, being widely used as a thickening, gelling, bulking and water retention agent. The knowledge of the textural properties of different starches is therefore very important, to correctly select the best starch for a determined application. The present investigation was undertaken to study the texture characteristics of gels from different non-conventional starch sources, in comparison to widely studied native cereal (maize) and tuber (cassava) starches. Non-conventional starches were extracted from two tubers and two legumes of the following varieties: yam (Dioscorea alata), ginger root (Zingiber officinale), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and white bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). A TAXT2 texture analyzer was used to study the texture profiles of the starch gels. The textural properties of the gels from the different starches varied greatly. Hardness was greater for the gel prepared with yam starch (483.7 gf). Ginger root (426.8 gf), chickpea (382.9gf) and white bean (360.3 gf) starch gels had intermediate hardness values. Maize (92.7 gf) and cassava (54.3 gf) starch gels had much lower hardness values. The most cohesive gel was that from cassava (0.91). Maize starch gel had an intermediate value for cohesiveness (0.56). Yam (0.49), chickpea (0.46), white bean (0.46) and ginger root (0.46) starches were less cohesive. With respect to gumminess, the yam starch gel presented the highest value (235.5). Ginger root (198.4), chickpea (175.4) and whitebean (166.6) starch gels had intermediate values. Cassava (48.9) and maize (52.2) gels were less gummy. These results confirm the need of in-depth studies to determine the applicability of new starches as textural ingredients in the food industry.
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