title: Compositional, spectroscopic and rheological analyses of mucilage isolated from taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) corms.
abstract: Tropical roots and tubers generally contain mucilage. These mucilages exhibit unique rheological properties with considerable potential as a food thickener and stabilizer. A one-step extraction procedure was used to isolate starch free mucilage and associated proteins from a number of taro (Colocasia esculenta) varieties. The monosaccharide and amino acid composition, the structural and flow properties were investigated. The results showed that yield of mucilage fraction varied from 30 to 190 g.kg(-1). A negative correlation (r = -0.87; p < 0.05) was observed between the crude protein level and the yield. The monosaccharide profiles revealed that galactose, mannose and arabinose were the main monosaccharides in the hydrolysate of the mucilage. From the 17 amino acids analyzed, aspartic acid/asparagine (14.4-17.2%) and glutamic acid/glutamine (10.3-13.6%) were prominent in the mucilage as well as the flour. No significant differences were observed in the FT-IR spectra and in the viscosity behavior of the mucilage dispersions. The greatest difference in the mucilage is based on its monosaccharide profile while the protein composition, which reflects that of the flour, is relatively stable.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 454, Adamaoua, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Nicolas Yanou
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Njintang
authors.affiliation: Centre de Biotechnologies-Nkolbisson, Université de Yaoundé I, B. P 3851, Messa Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Thaddee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boudjeko
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Technologie, Université de Ngaoundere, BP 454, N'Gaoundéré, Cameroun.
authors.forename: Leopold Ngoune
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Tatsadjieu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X01, Matieland, South Africa.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nguema-Ona
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'ingénierie et de Biomolecules(LIBIO), Nancy-Université, 2 avenue de la Forêt de Haye, B.P. 172, 54505 Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scher
authors.affiliation: National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 455, Adamaoua, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Carl M F
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mbofung
keywords: Amino acid composition; Mucilages; Sugar composition; Taro