Depending on your application, the starch-iodine test is a simple estimate that might work. http://www.aaccnet.org/publications/cc/backissues/1968/Documents/chem45_63.pdf

I like the method that uses a Kit from Megazyme to hydrolyze the starch with alpha amylase and amyloglucosidase and measure the resulting glucose.

http://www.megazyme.com/downloads/en/data/K-TSTA.pdf

If you have a fermented sample it is important to remove all free glucose and oligosaccharides before conducting the measurement.

We also use the Megazyme total starch assay kit for various cereal grains.

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. Unfortunately I don't have the megazyme or similar enzymic kit, but I ll see what I can do.

Even if you don't have the kit you can find the reference material listed in the kit booklet and prepare your own solutions. I have seen people do this before, although the kit is simpler.

The megazyme kits are now standard and relatively easy to do. I would strongly recomend these