In culms of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. (1 and 5 years old), the contents of starch fibrous materials and parenchymatous residue were determined in function of sodium hydroxide solution concentration (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%), treatment time (5, 10 and 15 hours) and shredding time (30, 60 and 90 seconds). The experimental trial was a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial. The results showed the contents of starch, fibrous materials and parenchymatous residue were not affected by sodium hydroxide concentration and treatment time. The highest starch quantity (75.22 g/kg) was obtained in the highest shredding time (90 seconds) from the 5 years bamboo culms. This study showed the starch extraction is feasible technically as a pre-treatment of the bamboo chips employed to produce pulp and paper.
bamboo; Bambusa vulgaris Schrad.; starch extraction; chemical treatment