Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Starch – Physico‐chemical Properties and Functional Characteristics

Starch was isolated from buckwheat (Fagopyrum exculentum) for determination of physico‐chemical properties and functional characteristics. SEM studies showed granules of buckwheat starch to be round or polygonal in shape and smaller than wheat starch granules in average particle size. X‐ray diffraction showed a pattern typical of that of cereal starches. Determinations of swelling power, solubility, water binding, enzyme suspectibility, gelatinization temperature and Amylograph consistency of untreated, defatted and enzyme‐inactivated buckwheat starch produced values which were within the range of those reported in the literature for cereal starches. Buckwheat starch performed satisfactorily in fillings, but did not produce cakes of acceptable quality.