In vitro digestibility of starches with different crystalline polymorphs at low α-amylase activity to substrate ratio

Abstract

In this study, potato, lotus seed and wheat starch samples with different degree of gelatinization (DG) were prepared and their in vitro digestibility at low α-amylase activity evaluated by measuring the release of reducing sugar. The hydrolysis rate (k) and the final equilibrium concentration (C∞) of the three starches increased with increasing DG. Kinetic analyses showed that the Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) and the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) increased with increasing DG, indicative of the increasing affinity and catalytic efficiency of α-amylase with all three starch samples. Of the three starches, lotus seed starch showed a much greater increase in k and kcat/Km than potato and wheat starches as the DG of starch increased. From this study, we concluded that at low activity of α-amylase, DG is a major determinant for the binding affinity and catalytic efficiency of α-amylase to starch and in turn the digestion rate of starch.