Physicochemical Properties and Potential Food Applications of Starches Isolated from Unconventional Seeds: A Review

Abstract

Starch is a natural carbohydrate that is commonly isolated from conventional sources such as corn, cassava, potato, wheat, and rice. However, in recent years new sources of starch have been studied, named as unconventional sources, usually from seeds and legumes, which have comparable properties to traditional starch sources. In recent years, new sources of starch from various seeds have been observed, including durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), loquat (Eriobothrya japonica), lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), mango (Mangifera indica), tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.), pine, or pinhão (Araucaria angustifolia), etc. On a laboratory scale, the extraction of starch from unconventional sources has generally been carried out with water, however, despite being an old method, good efficiencies have been obtained. In this review, it is shown that starches from unconventional sources have promising physicochemical properties, good digestibility performance, and applicability in the food area.