Development and Testing of Methods to Screen Chickpea Flour for Starch Characteristics

Rapid screening methodology has been developed for assessing the chemical composition and the gelatinisation and pasting properties of starch using flour from chickpea seeds. The methodology allows samples to be assessed using a minimal amount of sample and for starch information to be interpreted in the presence of other components present in the flour. The starch content of the flour and the amylose content of the starch was determined by modifying existing kit‐based methods (Megazyme International Ltd). Using the Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), starch gelatinisation characteristics can be assessed based on temperature of gelatinisation ( T p ), specific heat capacity ( Cp sp ) and half width of transition (½Δ T ). Pasting properties could be assessed using the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA), based on the determination of onset temperature for the RVA profile ( T _oRVA ), T p − T _oRVA and final viscosity (FV) values. The developed methodology was tested using a range of chickpea samples. No significant variation was found between the samples for starch content or for the proportion of amylose/amylopectin in the various starches. Significant variation was found in the starch properties of two of the samples, while the variation between the remaining samples was very small.