Native, modified and clean label starches in foods and beverages - Natural Food Additives, Ingredients and Flavourings - page 168

a liquid or powder media and deliver their functionality homogenously
throughout); viscosity (hot and cold); and abilities with regard to fi lm formation,
gel formation, oil retention, moisture-binding, suspension of solids, volume
control and crispness promotion. Other parameters to consider include: impacts
on food texture clarity, opacity and sheen; emulsion-stabilising capacity;
adhesiveness; and tolerance of processing conditions. Few other ingredients offer
the range and versatility of characteristics as effectively and as economically as
starch. When selecting a starch for a particular application, it is advisable to obtain
the technical data required to make a comparison of properties and an informed
choice. Table 7.3 sets out some of the key characteristics of the starches from
potato, rice, tapioca, corn (maize) and wheat.

7.7 Modifi cation of starches
Starches are modifi ed so as to give them certain useful properties (required by
particular foods or processes), to make them suitable for use within certain
production processes, and to retain their functionality in foods so as to allow
production of safe, long-life foods. The various types of modifi cation of native
starch are designed to change one or more of the following properties:
• Pasting temperature (the temperature at which initial swelling of starch
granules takes place when suspended in water).
• Solids-viscosity relationships.
• Gelatinisation and cooking characteristics.

Table 7.3 Key characteristics of the starches from potato, rice, tapioca, corn (maize)
starch and wheat

Potato starch Rice starch Corn starch Tapioca starch Wheat starch

Size (μm) 15-80 2-8 15-25 10-15 20-40

￿ ￿ ￿ ￿ ￿

Shape Oval Round Hexagonal Oval Oval

Colour White Very white Yellowish,

white

White Greyish

white

Taste Potato taste Neutral Protein taste Slight to

neutral

Cereal taste

Odourlessness Moderate Excellent Fair Good Fair

Presence of
allergens

Allergen
traces

Allergen free Risk of

allergen
introduction
due to genetic
modifi cation

Allergen-free Gluten

Gel structure Sticky Creamy Firm Sticky Firm

Supply
stability

Volatile Volatile Stable Volatile Volatile