Abstract
Starch was isolated from 4-year-old and 6-year-old ginseng roots and its physical and chemical characteristics were studied. The results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. The shape of ginseng starch granules was polygonal and rounded with its granule size ranging from 2.0 to 7.5$\mu$. The swelling power of 4-year-old ginseng starch was much greater than that of 6-year old ginseng starch. Gelatinization pattern showed that 6-year-old ginseng starch gelatinized rapidly at $65^{\circ}C$, whereas 4-year-old starch continued to gelatinize, without having a definite gelatinization temperature as temperature increased 3. Amylogram of ginseng starch showed that gelatinization initiated at 61$^{\circ}C$ and was completed at 88$^{\circ}C$ with its viscosity reaching at 810 B.U. 4. The amylose contents were 32% and 9% for 4-year-old and 6-year-old ginseng starch, respectively. 5. X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that there were some structural differences between 4-year-old and 6-year-old ginseng starch.