EFFECT OF SUGAR AND GUMS ON THE PASTING PROPERTIES OF CASSAVA STARCH RAVI SHARMA, D.P.S. OBEROI, D.S. SOGI and B.S. Gill 1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar 143005, India Accepted for Publication June 6, 2008 ABSTRACT Pasting properties of cassava starch solutions were prepared with differ- ent types of sugars (glucose, sucrose and fructose) at different levels as 10.71, 19.35, 32.43% and gums (gum acacia, guar gum and gum tragacanth) at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4% levels, respectively, were analyzed using the Rapid Visco Ana- lyzer. The pasting temperature increased with increase in the sugar concen- tration in cassava starch–water system and the maximum 78.27C at 32.43% sucrose solution. The peak viscosity (PV) and breakdown viscosity (BD) decreased with increase in the sugar concentration. Hot paste viscosity and cold paste viscosity decreased progressively with increase in sugar concen- tration in fructose and glucose solution. The PV and BD increased with increase in guar gum concentration and was maximum 5,704 and 3,773 mPa·s at 0.4% concentration, respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Cassava starch performs most of the functions where maize, rice and wheat starch are currently used. In food industry, cassava starch is used in extruded snacks for improved expansion, as a thickener in foods, in processed baby foods as a filler material and bonding agent in biscuit and confectionary, textile, pharmaceutical, paper and cosmetic industries. Cassava starch can be converted to maltotriose, maltose, and glucose as well as to other modified sugars and organic acids. Starch from cassava can be used to make gelatin capsules. Starches and gums are often used together in food systems to provide texture, control moisture, water mobility, improve overall product quality and stability, reduce cost and facilitate processing. Cassava starch, due to its high swelling power, is reported to yield better quality instant noodles. 1 Corresponding author. TEL: 91 83-2258802, ext 3428; FAX: 91 183-2258820; EMAIL: Balmeet_ singh@yahoo.co.in Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 33 (2009) 401–414. © 2009 The Author(s) Journal compilation © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 401