We have developed a rapid and accurate method for the
determination of a starch’s origin based on direct potentiometric
measurements of starch–triiodide complexes and the use of
principal components data analysis (PCA). The platinum redox electrode
was used to measure decreases in the free triiodide ion after
its complexation into a starch–triiodide complex. The proposed
method is more convenient, simpler, easier, less expensive and
more objective for the determination of botanical starch origin than
the usual microscopic methods.