Abstract: The gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of 6 kinds of lotus-seed starches stored for 2 weeks at 4 ℃ were analyzed by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry). Meanwhile, the Avrami equation was used to explore the effects of amylase content and storage time on the thermodynamics action of lotus-seed starch, and the correlation between the content of amylase and thermodynamics action was evaluated using SPSS Version 17.0. The results showed that significant differences in pasting temperature, ΔH, crystal melting enthalpy, retrogradation degree and aging rate were found among 6 kinds of lotus-seed starches; that the aging rates decreased in the order of Taikonglian, Meirenhong, Dazihong, Wuhzi No 2, Elian and Honghulian, and the aging rate of Taikonglian was 1.36 times higher than that of Honghulian; that 6 kinds of lotus-seed starches all had an instantaneous nucleation; that the degree of retrogradation of seed starches stored for 2 weeks at 4 ℃ increased with storage time prolonged; and that the content of amylase had a negative correlation with the Avrami exponent (n) and a positive correlation with the rate constant (k), ΔH, crystal melting enthalpy and ice melting enthalpy.

Key words: lotus-seed starches, retrogradation, gelatinization, DSC