The physical, molecular, and functional properties of corn, cassava, and yam starches were related to the film properties of these starches. Corn, cassava, and yam starches contained 25%, 19%, and 30% amylose, respectively. Amylose from yam starch showed the smallest molecular weight among the starches and amylopectin from corn starch the smallest molecular weight. Cassava starch presented a higher amylopectin content, and its gels and films were less strong, more transparent, and more flexible than corn and yam films. Plasticized films of the three starches were more flexible, with a higher strain and lower stress at break when the glycerol content increased. Unplasticized films were brittle and had water vapor permeability values ranging from 6.75 x 10(-10) to 8.33 x 10(-10) g m(-1) s(-1) Pa(-1). These values decreased when the glycerol content reached 20 g/100 g of starch because a more compact structure was formed. Then, at a glycerol content of 40 g/100 g of starch, the WVP increased because the film matrixes became less dense.

Blends of native starches can be used to obtain special sensory properties avoiding the use of chemically modified starches. The mixture design approach was used to analyze the textural properties (hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and gumminess) of gels obtained with different proportions of yam, corn and cassava starches (6% total solids) and related to microstructural characteristics. Maximum limits of 60% yam starch and 70% corn starch and minimum level of 30% cassava starch were fixed to minimize syneresis under storage. Hardness, adhesiveness and gumminess increased with the proportion of corn starch in the blends. The lowest values of hardness corresponded to the blends containing higher proportions of cassava starch, that has the lowest amylose content. Corn starch was the component that less contributed to cohesiveness. The characteristic high cohesiveness of cassava starch pastes (related to its higher amylopectin content) was reduced when it was mixed in adequate proportions with yam and/or corn starches. Gels containing only yam starch presented syneresis values close to 40% after 247 h storage at 47C; the decrease of the maximum level of yam starch to 60% as well as the inclusion of cassava starch in the blends reduced weight losses. Disadvantages found in gels containing individual starches, such as exudate in yam and corn starch gels, and excessive cohesiveness in cassava starch gels, are minimized improving their possible applications, when blends are used.

The functional properties of mixtures of maize, cassava and yam starches and their relationships with microstructural characteristics were investigated. Experiments were performed following the simplexcentroid design with internal points and restrictions (upper limit) for yam starch proportion. The statistical model used (Scheffe´canonical equation) was a powerful tool to predict the pastes behaviour within the limits of the experimental area. Polynomials with second level interactions were applied to obtain the surface response. Viscoelastic attributes of mixtures differed from those of individual starches. As shown by differential scanning calorimetry and microscopical observations, physical properties of the mixtures depended on the type of networks obtained. These networks varied upon yam, corn and cassava starch proportions as each one has a particular characteristic: gelatinisation temperature, granule size, swelling capacity and amylose/amylopectin ratio among others.

-The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological stability of sausages produced from mechanically separated fish meat (MSM) obtained from Nile tilapia filleting residues. Different heat treatments (pasteurization or smoking) and packaging systems (conventional or vacuum) were used. The sausages were characterized for chemical composition, weight loss, water activity, instrumental texture and sensorial analysis. Additionally, microbiological analysis, instrumental color, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) were assessed during storage. No presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. or coagulase-positive Staphylococcus was detected; however, the psychrotrophic count in pasteurized sausages exceeded the limits allowed for consumption. pH and lipid oxidation speed (TBARS) values were reduced when vacuum packaging was used. Volatile nitrogenous bases remained virtually constant during the storage period, and higher values were observed in smoked products. Pasteurized sausages remain stable for 10 and 15 days in conventional and vacuum packages, respectively, and smoked sausages remain stable for 25 and 45 days in conventional and vacuum packages, respectively.