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Potential Use of Raman Spectroscopy for Determination of Amylose Content in Maize Starch

¹Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Rd, Hong Kong. ²Corresponding author. Fax: +852 2857-1586. E-mail: phillips@hku.hk ³Department of Botany, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Rd, Hong Kong.

An analytical method using Raman spectroscopy was developed for the determination of amylose concentration in maize starches. FT-Raman spectra of four maize starches with amylose content varying from 3.3 to 66% were obtained. A Raman band at ≈1657 cm^-1 correlated linearly with amylose concentration in the four maize starches, and a calibration curve for Raman band intensity versus amylose content was developed. The linear correlation of the I₁₆₅₇/I₉₀₀ integrated areas with amylose content was r = 0.997. The Raman-based calibration curve allows fast and nondestructive determination of the amylose content in maize starches with minimal sample preparation.