Changes in characteristics of sweet potato flour prepared by different drying techniques.

The changes occurring in the characteristics of sweet potato flour as a result of processing were investigated. Pasting behaviour of drum dried and hot air-dried sweet potato flour was determined using Rapid Visco-Analyser. The pasting characteristics decreased due to gelatinization of starch during processing. The degradation of starch by amylases during hot air drying further lowered the water binding capacity/viscosity and total amylose and increased the digestibility compared to those of drum dried and native flour. Swelling power and solubility of the flours increased as a result of processing which subsequently increased with increase in temperature. Scanning electron micrographs of starch granules showed tendency of clustering, especially in drum dried samples. X-ray diffraction patterns showed alteration from Ca-type to V-type with a marked reduction in crystallinity index as a result of processing. The ¹³C NMR spectra of processed starches showed reduced peak intensities and line widths due to depolymerizing effects, and also pointing to their change in crystallinity.