Effect of Ultrasound for Reducing Sugar Production from Cassava Starch

Abstract

Cassava is one high carbohydrate natural resource which has abundant presence in Indonesia. Its carbohydrate contain with main composition of starch (60%). Starch of cassava can be converted into reducing sugar which utilized as main material in food, pharmacy and many sugar based industry. Sonication is one of high intensive irradiation method which can depolimerize starch. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of ultrasound process operation time on reducing sugar production from cassava starch. In this study was conducted by using cassava starch suspension in aquadest (1/20 (w / v)). The ultrasound process is carried under operating conditions 35ᵒC, 75% amplitude at various processing time (20-60 minutes). Products was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Dinitrosalylic Acid (DNS) method. No significant sugar can be producted from the sonication process, but surprisingly it succesfully solubilize the starch solution. Therefore, this result show that sonication can depolymerize the starch into its oligomer form. Solubilized starch will be more easier to be hydrolized to reducing sugar. Hence, ultrasound is suitable as pre-treatment process for reducing sugar production from cassava starch.