Visualization of internal structure of banana starch granule through AFM.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a high resolution technique for studying the external and internal structures of starch granules. For this purpose granules were isolated from bananas and embedded in a non-penetrating resin. To achieve image contrast of the ultrastructure, the face of the cut blocks were wetted in steam and force modulation mode imaging was used. Images of starch from green bananas showed large variation of height across the granule due to a locational specific absorption of water and swelling of amorphous regions; the data reveal that the center of the granules are structurally different and have different viscoelastic properties. Images of starches from ripe bananas showed an even greater different level of organization: absence of growth rings around the hilum; the central region of the granule is richer in amylose; very porous surface with round shaped dark structures; the size of blocklets are larger than the green fruits.

The cold storage of green bananas affects the starch degradation during ripening at higher temperature.

The aim of this work was to investigate the starch degradation of bananas stored at low temperature (13°C, cold-stored group) and bananas stored at 19°C (control group) during ripening. The starch granules were isolated during different stages of banana ripening, and their structure was investigated using different techniques. The activities of α-amylase and ß-amylase associated to the starch granules were determined, and their presence was confirmed using immunolocalization assays. The increased molecular mobility likely facilitated the intake and action of α-amylase on the granule surface, where it was the prevalent enzyme in bananas stored at low temperature. The 10 days of storage at low temperature also influenced the sizes and shapes of the granules, with a predominance of rounded granules and pits on the surface along with superior amylose content, the higher amounts of amylopectin A-chains and the subtle increase in the A-type allomorph content.