Bambara groundnut starch (100BBS) and cocoyam starch (100CYS) were blended at three different ratios (70BBS/30CYS, 50BBS/50CYS and 30BBS/70CYS) (%, w/w) and their compositional and some physicochemical properties evaluated. The potential industrial applications of the starch blends were adduced from their physicochemical properties. Substitution of 100CYS with 100BBS led to decreases in lipid (from 0.31 to 0.06%), protein (0.12 to 0.06%) and apparent amylose (37.31 to 22.60%) contents and vice versa when more 100BBS was substituted into 100CYS. Swelling power (SP) (except at 55°C), water solubility index, bulk density (BD), dispersibility (DP), pH and pasting parameters (except peak viscosity and peak time) of the starch blends were non-additive of their individual components. Bulk density, DP and pH of the starch blends ranged from 0.79 to 0.85 g/ml, 81 to 86% and 7.38 to 7.52, respectively. The breakdown viscosity of the control starches was smaller compared to that of starch blends. Peak time of starch blends was intermediate to that of the control starches. The searches for starch blends with appropriate physicochemical properties for potential industrial applications were achieved. The 30BBS/70CYS blend with the lowest retrogradation (120.60RVU) could be utilized in refrigerated foods. Furthermore, the 70BBS/30CYS blend with the highest SP could find application in the pharmaceuticals as disintegrants. These findings indicate that blending of under-utilized 100BBS and 100CYS could result in starch blends with appropriate physicochemical properties for industrial applications.

Bambara groundnut starch, cocoyam starch, starch blends, pasting, dispersibility