Italian buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) starch: physico-chemical and functional characterization and in vitro digestibility.

A study on the physico-chemical properties and structure together with the evaluation of starch digestibility was carried out on starch isolated from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) cultivated in different Italian areas. Results showed that buckwheat samples analysed were different among them and from wheat starch used as reference. Buckwheat granules were polygonal in shape and had a smaller diameter than the wheat starch granule. The starch obtained from buckwheat had a higher swelling power than the wheat one, probably as a consequence of the wheaker but more extensive bonding forces in the granule. During cooling, buckwheat samples showed a good paste stability.