STUDY ON EXTRACTION, CHARACTERISATION AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF STARCH OBTAINED FROM JACKFRUIT SEED: A COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL STARCH

Abstract

The present study focuses on the extraction, characterization, and comparative evaluation of starch derived from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds against commercially available starch. Starch extraction was carried out using a water-based isolation technique, which is both simple and cost-effective. The presence of starch was confirmed using the classical iodine test, in which the extracted starch yielded a distinct deep blue coloration, indicative of a strong interaction between iodine and amylose helices. Comparative physicochemical analysis revealed marked differences between jackfruit seed starch and commercial starch. The pH measurement indicated that jackfruit starch (pH 5.13) was more acidic compared to commercial starch (pH 7.58), suggesting possible variations in chemical composition and potential applications where pH sensitivity is relevant. Solubility testing demonstrated that jackfruit starch was insoluble in ethanol, which is consistent with the behavior of many native starches, yet distinguishes it from the partial solubility exhibited by some commercial starches that may undergo processing or modification. Colorimetric evaluation was conducted using RGB and greyscale analyses through ImageJ.JS software to quantify the intensity of iodine–starch complexation. The greyscale values provided an indirect estimate of amylose content, with lower greyscale values corresponding to higher amylose levels. Jackfruit starch exhibited a significantly higher amylose content (64.72%) compared to commercial starch (15.74 %). This elevated amylose proportion is responsible for the more intense and well-defined blue coloration observed in the jackfruit starch–iodine complex. Overall, the findings indicate that starch extracted from jackfruit seeds possesses distinctive chemical and functional properties compared to commercial starch. In particular, its high amylose content and sharp color change upon iodine interaction suggest that jackfruit seed starch could serve as an effective, low-cost, and sustainable alternative to commercial starch for use as an iodometric indicator in analytical applications. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of underutilized jackfruit seeds as a valuable resource for starch production, contributing to waste valorization and promoting food system sustainability.