Technological properties of sour cassava starches: Effect of fermentation and drying processes

Abstract Cassava sour starch is a naturally-fermented, sun-dried product. It allows obtaining less dense bakery products than the native starch, being an appreciated gluten-free ingredient. The aim of this work was to study the effect of fermentation and drying method on the physicochemical and technological characteristics of cassava sour starch and to identify the relationships among those distinctive features that may condition their potential food applications. Natural fermentation following starch extraction could not be replaced by the use of a starter. Sour starches pastes showed lower apparent viscosities related to their lactic and/or butyric acid content, and a higher retrogradation tendency, mainly associated to sun-drying. The fermentation combined with the solar exposition represent a complex process that induce changes not easily observed on starch powders but clearly evidenced after gelatinization of the starch suspensions.