Starches isolated from 3 typical types of Chinese sweet potato varieties (XuShu18, SuShu2, and SuShu8) were characterized and compared with starches isolated from potato and mung bean. The 3 sweet potato starches differed in granule size; particle size distribution; protein, lipid, and phosphorus contents; pasting behaviors; swelling patterns; and syneresis. The retrogradation tendencies, measured both by setback ratio and by syneresis, differed for the 3 starches, although the amylose contents were quite similar (19.3 to 20.0%). Physicochemical properties of all 3 types of starches are evidently different from each other and from those of potato and mung bean starches.

Chemical compositions, physical properties, and suitability for starch noodle making of different granule size fractions from potato and sweet potato starches were studied. The ash content, amylose content, phosphorus content, gel firmness, and freeze-thaw stability of small-size granule fractions (< 20 m) were significantly different from those of the large-size granule fractions. The processibility and the qualities evaluated by objective and subjective methods of both dried and cooked starch noodles made from small-size granule fractions were significantly better than those made from their initial starch preparations and much better than those made from the large-size granule fractions.

Potato and sweet potato starches and derivatives thereof were used to substitute part of the wheat flour in white salted noodle (WSN) manufacture. The quality of the WSN obtained was compared with the quality of WSN made from wheat flour only. When up to 20% of wheat flour was replaced by acetylated potato starch and acetylated sweet potato starches, the cooking loss of WSN decreased, while the softness, stretchability, and slipperiness increased significantly. Native and hydroxypropylated starches did not exhibit these effects. It can be concluded that the substitution of part of wheat flour with acetylated starches strongly affects noodle-making and final noodle quality, and starch substitution can be used to change the performance of a given wheat flour for noodle making in a desired way.