Modified Starch; Used As Thickening, Stabilizing, or Emulsifying Agent in the Food & Beverage Industry
Modified Starch |
Modified starch is the starch extracted
from grains and vegetables which has been treated to improve its ability to
keep the texture and structure of the food. Modified starch has virtually no
nutritional value, which is why it is so widely used in processed foods. It
doesn't affect the nutritional value of the product it is used in. Starches,
sourced from corn, potato, tapioca, rice, and wheat, are modified for use in
the food industry as natural starches consist of hydrophilic glucose backbones,
which causes them to display poor surface activity.
Modified
Starch is used in practically all starch
applications, such as in food products as a thickening agent, emulsifier, or
stabilizer; in pharmaceuticals as a disintegrant; or as binder in coated paper.
They are also used in several other applications. Modified starch is nothing
but cornstarch that has been further treated enzymatically and physically, to
modify its physical properties. This modified version has better binding
properties, greater thickening capacity, & greater emulsifying and
stabilizing properties.
Modified starch are prepared by physically,
chemically, or enzymatically treating native starch to change its properties.
Modified wheat starch is simply wheat starch that has been modified for
specific uses. Wheat, corn, and other cereal starch, can be modified chemically,
physically, or enzymatically. Using heat is the most common method to modify
the physical appearance of starch. The starch is either roasted or cooked.
Other methods include subjecting starch to high pressure and temperature, for
example by extrusion, crushing or grinding starch.
The modified in modified starches does not
stand for genetically modified. Modified simply means that the starch has been
changed or altered in some way to make it more useful in food production. Starch
is modified to enhance its properties compared to its original precursors. In
North America, Cargill (US) is a supplier of modified starches that offer
functional benefits, such as gelling, thickening, and bulking in food and
beverages.
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