REVIEW Contradictions in the study of some compositional and physicochemical properties of starches from various botanical sources Adeleke Omodunbi Ashogbon Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria There are many contradictions in the study of some compositional and physicochemical properties of starches from various botanical sources. Here, emphasis is laid on swelling power, amylose content, and the problem of definition associated with intermediate materials of starches. Many of these contradictions have to do with the problem of analysis and the inevitable influences of genetic, environmental, and anthropological manipulation on the properties of various starches. Received: December 18, 2016 Revised: January 2, 2017 Accepted: February 6, 2017 Keywords: Amylose content / Contradiction / Intermediate material / Swelling power 1 Introduction The importance of starches from various botanical sources cannot be overemphasized. Apart from cellulose, starch is the most abundant organic compound in the biosphere. It is also the most important polysaccharide in the human diet. Despite it nutritional uses in the food industry, starches also possess significant non-food industrial applications. It is easily modified physically, chemically, enzymatically, or biotechnologically or their combinations due to its posses- sion of ubiquitous hydroxyl groups and uncomplicated glycosidic linkages. The botanical sources of starches are diverse. They are cereal, legume, root and tuber, and green fruit [1]. The contradictions in the study of starches from different botanical sources are not new. In the beginning, the set-up for these contradictions had been there from environmental, genetical, and anthropological point of view. For instance, starches from maize seeds obtained from Nigeria and planted in United States (U.S.) and Germany will not possess identical physicochemical and functional properties. Let us take a closer look at these illustration, maize starches, A, B, and C from Nigeria, U.S., and Germany, respectively. The planting of maize seeds in U.S. and Germany will likely involve heavy utilization of fertilizers, other mechanical input and minimal sunlight. In contrast, the maize seeds planted in Nigeria will have little or no fertilizers, the mechanical input will be infinitesimal and abundant sunlight is guaranteed. The soil conditions and the anthropological manipulation of the environment will differ in each of this country. Consequently, the granular composition and physicochemical properties of starches A–C isolated from maize seeds will not be identical. The aim of this review is to point out some of the contradictions in the study of compositional and physico- chemical properties of starches from different botanical origins. Furthermore, there will be suggestion on ways to minimize the contradictions and insistence on thorough review before publication. In order to profit optimally from our study of starches and its applications, these seeming contradictions must be reduced to the barest minimum or utterly eliminated. 2 Contradiction on granular swelling The whole story about amylopectin (AP) been responsible for the manifestation and development of higher swelling power (SP) of starch granules must have started with Tester and Correspondence: Dr. Adeleke Omodunbi Ashogbon, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria E-mail: ashogbonadeleke@yahoo.com Fax: þ23 480 59225829 Abbreviations: ABS, adzuki bean starch; AP, amylopectin; DSC, differential scanning calorimetry; I 2 , iodine; IM, intermediate material; SEC, size-exclusion chromatography DOI 10.1002/star.201600372 Starch/Stärke 2017, 69, 1600372 1600372 (1 of 7) www.starch-journal.com ß 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim