The study evaluated the effect of hypochlorite oxidation and acetylation on some physicochemical properties of Icacina trichantha starch. The native and modified (oxidized and acetylated) starches were studied with respect to Infrared spectroscopy(IR), microscopy, gelatinization, swelling power, solubility index, amylose content, paste clarity and proximate compositions. Oxidized starch had the highest paste clarity, followed by the acetylated starch. The paste clarity of all the starches were found to be pH dependent. The modified starch also had higher solubility index compared to the native starch but lower gelatinization temperature. The modified starches had lower swelling power but higher amylose content. The properties of the starches were found to be dependent on the amylose content.
I.U Agbo, G.E Odo
