Flow behavior of sweet potato starch in mixed sugar systems

Flow behaviors of sweet potato starch (SPS) pastes (5% w/w) were studied in the presence of various sugars (xylose, glucose, fructose and sucrose) and sugar alcohols (xylitol and sorbitol). The flow properties of SPS-sugar mixtures were determined from the rheological parameters of power law model. The vane method was also employed for determining yield stresses of SPS-sugar mixtures directly under a controlled low shear rate. At 25oC all the samples showed shear-thinning behaviors (n=0.35̃0.44) with yield stress. The consistency index (K) values of SPS-sugar mixtures increased in the following order: sorbitol> xylitol> control (no sugar)> sucrose> fructose> glucose> xylose, showing that the addition of sugar alcohols enhanced the K values. The yield stress values were reduced in the presence of sugars and sugar alcohols and they also increased with an increase in swelling power of starch granules in the SPS-sugar mixture systems.