Quick Search

PRODUCTS

STARCH


EC / List no.: 232-679-6
CAS no.: 9005-25-8

Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. 
This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. 
Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets, and is contained in large amounts in staple foods like wheat, potatoes, maize (corn), rice, and cassava (manioc).

Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or alcohol. 
Starch consists of two types of molecules: the linear and helical amylose and the branched amylopectin. 
Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25% amylose and 75 to 80% amylopectin by weight.
Glycogen, the glucose store of animals, is a more highly branched version of amylopectin.

In industry, starch is converted into sugars, for example by malting, and fermented to produce ethanol in the manufacture of beer, whisky and biofuel. 
Starch is processed to produce many of the sugars used in processed foods. 
Mixing most starches in warm water produces a paste, such as wheatpaste, which can be used as a thickening, stiffening or gluing agent.
The greatest industrial non-food use of starch is as an adhesive in the papermaking process. 
Starch solution may be applied to certain textile goods before ironing, to stiffen them.


Etymology
The word "starch" is from its Germanic root with the meanings "strong, stiff, strengthen, stiffen".
Modern German Stärke (strength) is related and referring for centuries main application, the use in textile: sizing yarn for weaving and starching linen. 
The Greek term for starch, "amylon" (ἄμυλον), which means "not milled", is also related. 
Starch provides the root amyl, which is used as a prefix for several 5-carbon compounds related to or derived from starch (e.g. amyl alcohol).

History
Starch grains from the rhizomes of Typha (cattails, bullrushes) as flour have been identified from grinding stones in Europe dating back to 30,000 years ago.
Starch grains from sorghum were found on grind stones in caves in Ngalue, Mozambique dating up to 100,000 years ago.

Pure extracted wheat starch paste was used in Ancient Egypt possibly to glue papyrus.
The extraction of starch is first described in the Natural History of Pliny the Elder around AD 77–79.
Romans used it also in cosmetic creams, to powder the hair and to thicken sauces. 
Persians and Indians used it to make dishes similar to gothumai wheat halva. 
Rice starch as surface treatment of paper has been used in paper production in China since 700 CE.


Starch industry
In addition to starchy plants consumed directly, by 2008 66 million tonnes of starch were being produced per year worldwide. 
In 2011, production was increased to 73 million ton.

In the EU the starch industry produced about 8.5 million tonnes in 2008, with around 40% being used for industrial applications and 60% for food uses, most of the latter as glucose syrups.,
In 2017 EU production was 11 million ton of which 9,4 million ton was consumed in the EU and of which 54% were starch sweeteners.

The US produced about 27.5 million tons of starch in 2017, of which about 8.2 million tons was high fructose syrup, 6.2 million tons was glucose syrups, and 2.5 million tons were starch products.
The rest of the starch was used for producing ethanol (1.6 billion gallons).

Energy store of plants
Most green plants store energy as starch, which is packed into semicrystalline granules.
The extra glucose is changed into starch which is more complex than the glucose produced by plants. 
Young plants live on this stored energy in their roots, seeds, and fruits until it can find suitable soil in which to grow.
An exception is the family Asteraceae (asters, daisies and sunflowers), where starch is replaced by the fructan inulin. 
Inulin-like fructans are also present in grasses such as wheat, in onions and garlic, bananas, and asparagus.

In photosynthesis, plants use light energy to produce glucose from carbon dioxide. 
The glucose is used to generate the chemical energy required for general metabolism, to make organic compounds such as nucleic acids, lipids, proteins and structural polysaccharides such as cellulose, or is stored in the form of starch granules, in amyloplasts. 
Toward the end of the growing season, starch accumulates in twigs of trees near the buds. 
Fruit, seeds, rhizomes, and tubers store starch to prepare for the next growing season.

Glucose is soluble in water, hydrophilic, binds with water and then takes up much space and is osmotically active; glucose in the form of starch, on the other hand, is not soluble, therefore osmotically inactive and can be stored much more compactly. 
The semicrystalline granules generally consist of concentric layers of amylose and amylopectin which can be made bioavailable upon cellular demand in the plant.

Glucose molecules are bound in starch by the easily hydrolyzed alpha bonds. 
The same type of bond is found in the animal reserve polysaccharide glycogen. 
This is in contrast to many structural polysaccharides such as chitin, cellulose and peptidoglycan, which are bound by beta bonds and are much more resistant to hydrolysis.

Biosynthesis
Plants produce starch by first converting glucose 1-phosphate to ADP-glucose using the enzyme glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase. 
This step requires energy in the form of ATP. 
The enzyme starch synthase then adds the ADP-glucose via a 1,4-alpha glycosidic bond to a growing chain of glucose residues, liberating ADP and creating amylose. 
The ADP-glucose is almost certainly added to the non-reducing end of the amylose polymer, as the UDP-glucose is added to the non-reducing end of glycogen during glycogen synthesis.

Starch branching enzyme introduces 1,6-alpha glycosidic bonds between the amylose chains, creating the branched amylopectin. 
The starch debranching enzyme isoamylase removes some of these branches. 
Several isoforms of these enzymes exist, leading to a highly complex synthesis process.

Glycogen and amylopectin have similar structure, but the former has about one branch point per ten 1,4-alpha bonds, compared to about one branch point per thirty 1,4-alpha bonds in amylopectin.
Amylopectin is synthesized from ADP-glucose while mammals and fungi synthesize glycogen from UDP-glucose; for most cases, bacteria synthesize glycogen from ADP-glucose (analogous to starch).

In addition to starch synthesis in plants, starch can be synthesized from non-food starch mediated by an enzyme cocktail.
In this cell-free biosystem, beta-1,4-glycosidic bond-linked cellulose is partially hydrolyzed to cellobiose. 
Cellobiose phosphorylase cleaves to glucose 1-phosphate and glucose; the other enzyme—potato alpha-glucan phosphorylase can add a glucose unit from glucose 1-phosphorylase to the non-reducing ends of starch. 
In it, phosphate is internally recycled. 
The other product, glucose, can be assimilated by a yeast. 
This cell-free bioprocessing does not need any costly chemical and energy input, can be conducted in aqueous solution, and does not have sugar losses.

Degradation
Starch is synthesized in plant leaves during the day and stored as granules; it serves as an energy source at night. 
The insoluble, highly branched starch chains have to be phosphorylated in order to be accessible for degrading enzymes. 
The enzyme glucan, water dikinase (GWD) phosphorylates at the C-6 position of a glucose molecule, close to the chains 1,6-alpha branching bonds. 
A second enzyme, phosphoglucan, water dikinase (PWD) phosphorylates the glucose molecule at the C-3 position. 
A loss of these enzymes, for example a loss of the GWD, leads to a starch excess (sex) phenotype, and because starch cannot be phosphorylated, it accumulates in the plastids.

After the phosphorylation, the first degrading enzyme, beta-amylase (BAM) can attack the glucose chain at its non-reducing end. 
Maltose is released as the main product of starch degradation. 
If the glucose chain consists of three or fewer molecules, BAM cannot release maltose. 
A second enzyme, disproportionating enzyme-1 (DPE1), combines two maltotriose molecules. 
From this chain, a glucose molecule is released. 
Now, BAM can release another maltose molecule from the remaining chain. 
This cycle repeats until starch is degraded completely. 
If BAM comes close to the phosphorylated branching point of the glucose chain, it can no longer release maltose. 
In order for the phosphorylated chain to be degraded, the enzyme isoamylase (ISA) is required.

The products of starch degradation are predominantly maltose and smaller amounts of glucose. 
These molecules are exported from the plastid to the cytosol, maltose via the maltose transporter, which if mutated (MEX1-mutant) results in maltose accumulation in the plastid.
Glucose is exported via the plastidic glucose translocator (pGlcT).
These two sugars act as a precursor for sucrose synthesis. 
Sucrose can then be used in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in the mitochondria, to generate ATP at night.

Properties
Structure
While amylose was thought to be completely unbranched, it is now known that some of its molecules contain a few branch points.
Amylose is a much smaller molecule than amylopectin. 
About one quarter of the mass of starch granules in plants consist of amylose, although there are about 150 times more amylose than amylopectin molecules.

Starch molecules arrange themselves in the plant in semi-crystalline granules. 
Each plant species has a unique starch granular size: rice starch is relatively small (about 2 μm) while potato starches have larger granules (up to 100 μm).

Some cultivated plant varieties have pure amylopectin starch without amylose, known as waxy starches. 
The most used is waxy maize, others are glutinous rice and waxy potato starch. 
Waxy starches have less retrogradation, resulting in a more stable paste. 
High amylose starch, amylomaize, is cultivated for the use of its gel strength and for use as a resistant starch (a starch that resists digestion) in food products.

Synthetic amylose made from cellulose has a well-controlled degree of polymerization. 
Therefore, it can be used as a potential drug deliver carrier.

Dissolution and gelatinization
When being heated in abundant water, the granules of native starch swell and burst, the semi-crystalline structure is lost, and the smaller amylose molecules start leaching out of the granule, forming a network that holds water and increasing the mixture's viscosity. 
This process is called starch gelatinization. 
The gelatinization temperature of starch varies depending on starch cultivar, amylose/amylopectin content, and water content. 
Starch with water could experience complex multiphase transitions during differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) temperature scanning.
For starch with excess water, a single gelatinisation endotherm can be usually observed in the low temperature range (54–73 °C).
By reducing the water content (<64%) in starch, more endothermic transitions representing different structural changes can be seen because they become separated and they will move to higher temperatures.
With limited water content, the swelling forces will be much less significant, and the process of gelatinization in a low moisture content environment could more accurately be defined as the “melting” of starch.
Besides, the number of endotherms and enthalpies depended on amylose/amylopectin ratio, and the gelatinisation enthalpy of the amylopectin-rich starch was higher than that of the amylose-rich starch.
Specifically, waxy and normal maize starches show a large gelatinization endotherm at about 70 °C; for normal maize starches, there was also a second endotherm at about 90 °C, considered as the phase transition within an amylose–lipid complex; In contrast, for high-amylose content starches (e.g. Gelose 50 and Gelose 80), there is a very broad endotherm in the temperature range between 65 and 115 °C, which is composed of the main gelatinization endotherm and the phase transition within an amylose–lipid complex.

During cooking, the starch becomes a paste and increases further in viscosity. 
During cooling or prolonged storage of the paste, the semi-crystalline structure partially recovers and the starch paste thickens, expelling water. 
This is mainly caused by retrogradation of the amylose. 
This process is responsible for the hardening of bread or staling, and for the water layer on top of a starch gel (syneresis).

Certain starches, when mixed with water, will produce a non-Newtonian fluid sometimes nicknamed "oobleck".

Starch can also be dissolved or undergo gelation in ionic liquids or metal chloride salt solutions. 
The thermal transition of starch is largely influenced by the ratio of ionic liquid/water. 
Aqueous ionic liquid with a certain ionic liquid/water ratio leads to the most effective structural disorganisation of some starches at significantly reduced temperature (even at room temperature).
This phenomenon is very different from the dissolution of cellulose, as the latter occurs most efficiently in pure ionic liquids and any water contained in the ionic liquids will hinder the dissolution significantly.
Starch is proposed that for starches with granule surface pores (e.g. millet, waxy maize, normal maize and wheat starches), the corrosion by the aqueous IL follows an inside-out pattern and the destruction to the granules is fast and even, whereas for starches with a relatively smooth surface (e.g. high-amylose maize, potato, purple yam and pea starches), the corrosion can only start from the surface and thus the change caused the aqueous IL is slow.
Besides, starch, even high-amylose starch, can be fully dissolved by aqueous metal chloride salts (e.g. ZnCl2, CaCl2, and MgCl2) at moderate temperature (≤50 °C), and starch nanoparticles can form during this dissolution process.

Hydrolysis
The enzymes that break down or hydrolyze starch into the constituent sugars are known as amylases.

Alpha-amylases are found in plants and in animals. 
Human saliva is rich in amylase, and the pancreas also secretes the enzyme. 
Individuals from populations with a high-starch diet tend to have more amylase genes than those with low-starch diets;

Beta-amylase cuts starch into maltose units. 
This process is important in the digestion of starch and is also used in brewing, where amylase from the skin of seed grains is responsible for converting starch to maltose (Malting, Mashing).

Given a heat of combustion of glucose of 2,805 kilojoules per mole (670 kcal/mol) whereas that of starch is 2,835 kJ (678 kcal) per mole of glucose monomer, hydrolysis releases about 30 kJ (7.2 kcal) per mole, or 166 J (40 cal) per gram of glucose product.

Dextrinization
If starch is subjected to dry heat, it breaks down to form dextrins, also called "pyrodextrins" in this context. 
This break down process is known as dextrinization. 
(Pyro)dextrins are mainly yellow to brown in color and dextrinization is partially responsible for the browning of toasted bread.

Chemical tests
A triiodide (I3−) solution formed by mixing iodine and iodide (usually from potassium iodide) is used to test for starch; a dark blue color indicates the presence of starch. 
The details of this reaction are not fully known, but recent scientific work using single crystal x-ray crystallography and comparative Raman spectroscopy suggests that the final starch-iodine structure is similar to an infinite polyiodide chain like one found in a pyrroloperylene-iodine complex.
The strength of the resulting blue color depends on the amount of amylose present. 
Waxy starches with little or no amylose present will color red. Benedict's test and Fehling's test is also done to indicate the presence of starch.

Starch indicator solution consisting of water, starch and iodide is often used in redox titrations: in the presence of an oxidizing agent the solution turns blue, in the presence of reducing agent the blue color disappears because triiodide (I3−) ions break up into three iodide ions, disassembling the starch-iodine complex. 
Starch solution was used as indicator for visualizing the periodic formation and consumption of triiodide intermediate in the Briggs-Rauscher oscillating reaction. 
The starch, however, changes the kinetics of the reaction steps involving triiodide ion.
A 0.3% w/w solution is the standard concentration for a starch indicator. 
Starch is made by adding 3 grams of soluble starch to 1 liter of heated water; the solution is cooled before use (starch-iodine complex becomes unstable at temperatures above 35 °C).

Each species of plant has a unique type of starch granules in granular size, shape and crystallization pattern. 
Under the microscope, starch grains stained with iodine illuminated from behind with polarized light show a distinctive Maltese cross effect (also known as extinction cross and birefringence).

Food
Starch is the most common carbohydrate in the human diet and is contained in many staple foods. 
The major sources of starch intake worldwide are the cereals (rice, wheat, and maize) and the root vegetables (potatoes and cassava).
Many other starchy foods are grown, some only in specific climates, including acorns, arrowroot, arracacha, bananas, barley, breadfruit, buckwheat, canna, colocasia, katakuri, kudzu, malanga, millet, oats, oca, polynesian arrowroot, sago, sorghum, sweet potatoes, rye, taro, chestnuts, water chestnuts and yams, and many kinds of beans, such as favas, lentils, mung beans, peas, and chickpeas.

Widely used prepared foods containing starch are bread, pancakes, cereals, noodles, pasta, porridge and tortilla.

Digestive enzymes have problems digesting crystalline structures. 
Raw starch is digested poorly in the duodenum and small intestine, while bacterial degradation takes place mainly in the colon. 
When starch is cooked, the digestibility is increased.

Starch gelatinization during cake baking can be impaired by sugar competing for water, preventing gelatinization and improving texture.

Before the advent of processed foods, people consumed large amounts of uncooked and unprocessed starch-containing plants, which contained high amounts of resistant starch. 
Microbes within the large intestine fermented the starch, produced short-chain fatty acids, which are used as energy, and support the maintenance and growth of the microbes. 
More highly processed foods are more easily digested and release more glucose in the small intestine—less starch reaches the large intestine and more energy is absorbed by the body. 
Starch is thought that this shift in energy delivery (as a result of eating more processed foods) may be one of the contributing factors to the development of metabolic disorders of modern life, including obesity and diabetes.

The amylose/amylopectin ratio, molecular weight and molecular fine structure influences the physicochemical properties as well as energy release of different types of starches.
In addition, cooking and food processing significantly impacts starch digestibility and energy release. 
Starch can be classified as rapidly digestible, slowly digestible and resistant starch.
Raw starch granules resist digestion by human enzymes and do not break down into glucose in the small intestine - they reach the large intestine instead and function as prebiotic dietary fiber.
When starch granules are fully gelatinized and cooked, the starch becomes easily digestible and releases glucose quickly within the small intestine. 
When starchy foods are cooked and cooled, some of the glucose chains re-crystallize and become resistant to digestion again. 
Slowly digestible starch can be found in raw cereals, where digestion is slow but relatively complete within the small intestine.

Starch production
The starch industry extracts and refines starches from seeds, roots and tubers, by wet grinding, washing, sieving and drying. 
Today, the main commercial refined starches are cornstarch, tapioca, arrowroot, and wheat, rice, and potato starches. 
To a lesser extent, sources of refined starch are sweet potato, sago and mung bean. 
To this day, starch is extracted from more than 50 types of plants.

Untreated starch requires heat to thicken or gelatinize. 
When a starch is pre-cooked, it can then be used to thicken instantly in cold water. 
This is referred to as a pregelatinized starch.

Starch sugars
Starch can be hydrolyzed into simpler carbohydrates by acids, various enzymes, or a combination of the two. 
The resulting fragments are known as dextrins. 
The extent of conversion is typically quantified by dextrose equivalent (DE), which is roughly the fraction of the glycosidic bonds in starch that have been broken.

These starch sugars are by far the most common starch based food ingredient and are used as sweeteners in many drinks and foods. 

They include:

Maltodextrin, a lightly hydrolyzed (DE 10–20) starch product used as a bland-tasting filler and thickener.
Various glucose syrups (DE 30–70), also called corn syrups in the US, viscous solutions used as sweeteners and thickeners in many kinds of processed foods.
Dextrose (DE 100), commercial glucose, prepared by the complete hydrolysis of starch.
High fructose syrup, made by treating dextrose solutions with the enzyme glucose isomerase, until a substantial fraction of the glucose has been converted to fructose. 
In the U.S. high-fructose corn syrup is significantly cheaper than sugar, and is the principal sweetener used in processed foods and beverages.
Fructose also has better microbiological stability. 
One kind of high fructose corn syrup, HFCS-55, is sweeter than sucrose because it is made with more fructose, while the sweetness of HFCS-42 is on par with sucrose.
Sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, erythritol, sorbitol, mannitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, are sweeteners made by reducing sugars.
Modified starches
A modified starch is a starch that has been chemically modified to allow the starch to function properly under conditions frequently encountered during processing or storage, such as high heat, high shear, low pH, freeze/thaw and cooling.

The modified food starches are E coded according to European Food Safety Authority and INS coded Food Additives according to the Codex Alimentarius:

1400 Dextrin
1401 Acid-treated starch
1402 Alkaline-treated starch
1403 Bleached starch
1404 Oxidized starch
1405 Starches, enzyme-treated
1410 Monostarch phosphate
1412 Distarch phosphate
1413 Phosphated distarch phosphate
1414 Acetylated distarch phosphate
1420 Starch acetate
1422 Acetylated distarch adipate
1440 Hydroxypropyl starch
1442 Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate
1443 Hydroxypropyl distarch glycerol
1450 Starch sodium octenyl succinate
1451 Acetylated oxidized starch

INS 1400, 1401, 1402, 1403 and 1405 are in the EU food ingredients without an E-number.
Typical modified starches for technical applications are cationic starches, hydroxyethyl starch and carboxymethylated starches.

Use as food additive
As an additive for food processing, food starches are typically used as thickeners and stabilizers in foods such as puddings, custards, soups, sauces, gravies, pie fillings, and salad dressings, and to make noodles and pastas. 
They function as thickeners, extenders, emulsion stabilizers and are exceptional binders in processed meats.

Gummed sweets such as jelly beans and wine gums are not manufactured using a mold in the conventional sense. 
A tray is filled with native starch and leveled. 
A positive mold is then pressed into the starch leaving an impression of 1,000 or so jelly beans. 
The jelly mix is then poured into the impressions and put onto a stove to set. 
This method greatly reduces the number of molds that must be manufactured.

Use in pharmaceutical industry
In the pharmaceutical industry, starch is also used as an excipient, as tablet disintegrant, and as binder.

Resistant starch
Main article: Resistant starch
Resistant starch is starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine of healthy individuals. 
High-amylose starch from corn has a higher gelatinization temperature than other types of starch, and retains its resistant starch content through baking, mild extrusion and other food processing techniques. 
Starch is used as an insoluble dietary fiber in processed foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, pretzels and other low moisture foods.
Starch is also utilized as a dietary supplement for its health benefits.
Published studies have shown that resistant starch helps to improve insulin sensitivity, increases satiety, reduces pro-inflammatory biomarkers interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha and improves markers of colonic function.
Starch has been suggested that resistant starch contributes to the health benefits of intact whole grains.

Non-food applications
Papermaking
Papermaking is the largest non-food application for starches globally, consuming many millions of metric tons annually.
 In a typical sheet of copy paper for instance, the starch content may be as high as 8%. 
Both chemically modified and unmodified starches are used in papermaking. 
In the wet part of the papermaking process, generally called the "wet-end", the starches used are cationic and have a positive charge bound to the starch polymer. 
These starch derivatives associate with the anionic or negatively charged paper fibers / cellulose and inorganic fillers. 
Cationic starches together with other retention and internal sizing agents help to give the necessary strength properties to the paper web formed in the papermaking process (wet strength), and to provide strength to the final paper sheet (dry strength).

In the dry end of the papermaking process, the paper web is rewetted with a starch based solution. 
The process is called surface sizing. 
Starches used have been chemically, or enzymatically depolymerized at the paper mill or by the starch industry (oxidized starch). 
The size/starch solutions are applied to the paper web by means of various mechanical presses (size presses). 
Together with surface sizing agents the surface starches impart additional strength to the paper web and additionally provide water hold out or "size" for superior printing properties. 
Starch is also used in paper coatings as one of the binders for the coating formulations which include a mixture of pigments, binders and thickeners. 
Coated paper has improved smoothness, hardness, whiteness and gloss and thus improves printing characteristics.

Corrugated board adhesives
Corrugated board adhesives are the next largest application of non-food starches globally. 
Starch glues are mostly based on unmodified native starches, plus some additive such as borax and caustic soda. 
Part of the starch is gelatinized to carry the slurry of uncooked starches and prevent sedimentation. 
This opaque glue is called a SteinHall adhesive. 
The glue is applied on tips of the fluting. 
The fluted paper is pressed to paper called liner. 
This is then dried under high heat, which causes the rest of the uncooked starch in glue to swell/gelatinize. 
This gelatinizing makes the glue a fast and strong adhesive for corrugated board production.

Clothing starch
Clothing or laundry starch is a liquid prepared by mixing a vegetable starch in water (earlier preparations also had to be boiled), and is used in the laundering of clothes. 
Starch was widely used in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries to stiffen the wide collars and ruffs of fine linen which surrounded the necks of the well-to-do. 
During the 19th and early 20th century it was stylish to stiffen the collars and sleeves of men's shirts and the ruffles of women's petticoats by starching them before the clean clothes were ironed. 
Starch gave clothing smooth, crisp edges, and had an additional practical purpose: dirt and sweat from a person's neck and wrists would stick to the starch rather than to the fibers of the clothing. 
The dirt would wash away along with the starch; after laundering, the starch would be reapplied. 
Starch is available in spray cans, in addition to the usual granules to mix with water.

Bioplastic
Bioplastic § Starch-based plastics

Starch is an important natural polymer to make bioplastics. 
With water and plasticisers such as glycerol, starch can be processed into so-called "thermoplastic starch" using conventional polymer processing techniques such as extrusion, injection molding and compression molding.
Since materials based on only native starch have poor processibility, mechanical properties and stability, more commonly modified starches (e.g. hydroxypropyl starch) are used and starch is combined with other polymers (preferably biodegradable polymers such as polycaprolactone), as some commercial products (e.g. PLANTIC™ HP and Mater-Bi®) available on the market.

Other
Another large non-food starch application is in the construction industry, where starch is used in the gypsum wall board manufacturing process. 
Chemically modified or unmodified starches are added to the stucco containing primarily gypsum. 
Top and bottom heavyweight sheets of paper are applied to the formulation, and the process is allowed to heat and cure to form the eventual rigid wall board. 
The starches act as a glue for the cured gypsum rock with the paper covering, and also provide rigidity to the board.

Starch is used in the manufacture of various adhesives or glues for book-binding, wallpaper adhesives, paper sack production, tube winding, gummed paper, envelope adhesives, school glues and bottle labeling. 
Starch derivatives, such as yellow dextrins, can be modified by addition of some chemicals to form a hard glue for paper work; some of those forms use borax or soda ash, which are mixed with the starch solution at 50–70 °C (122–158 °F) to create a very good adhesive. 
Sodium silicate can be added to reinforce these formula.

Textile chemicals from starch: warp sizing agents are used to reduce breaking of yarns during weaving. 
Starch is mainly used to size cotton based yarns. 
Modified starch is also used as textile printing thickener.
In oil exploration, starch is used to adjust the viscosity of drilling fluid, which is used to lubricate the drill head and suspend the grinding residue in petroleum extraction.
Starch is also used to make some packing peanuts, and some drop ceiling tiles.
In the printing industry, food grade starch is used in the manufacture of anti-set-off spray powder used to separate printed sheets of paper to avoid wet ink being set off.
For body powder, powdered corn starch is used as a substitute for talcum powder, and similarly in other health and beauty products.
Starch is used to produce various bioplastics, synthetic polymers that are biodegradable. 
An example is polylactic acid based on glucose from starch.
Glucose from starch can be further fermented to biofuel corn ethanol using the so-called wet milling process. 
Today most bioethanol production plants use the dry milling process to ferment corn or other feedstock directly to ethanol.
Hydrogen production could use glucose from starch as the raw material, using enzymes.


Chemical Properties    
white fine crystalline powder
Starch occurs as an odorless and tasteless, fine, white to off-white powder. 
Starch consists of very small spherical or ovoid granules or grains whose size and shape are characteristic for each botanical variety.


Uses    
Dusting powder; pharmaceutic aid.
corn starch is used as a thickener in cosmetics and in face powders. 
Corn starch absorbs water and is soothing to the skin. 
Starch can cause allergic reactions such as inflamed eyes, stuffy nose, and perennial hay fever. 
A natural material obtained from corn kernels.

Starch is a carbohydrate consisting of glucose units containing amy- lose and amylopectin which contribute to varying starch properties. 
starch is insoluble in cold water, but upon heating the starch gran- ules swell and burst forming starch paste. 
starch sources include arrowroot, corn, potato, rice, sage, tapioca, waxy corn, and wheat. 
starches are modified by treatment to alter their functional proper- ties. 
terminology designating these starches includes acid-modified cornstarch, food starch modified, modified food starch, oxidized cornstarch, pregelatinized starch, thin-boiling starch, and wheat starch, gelatinized. 


Production Methods    
Starch is extracted from plant sources with specific processes according to the botanical origin. 
Typical production steps are steeping (corn), wet milling (corn, potato), dry milling (wheat), or sieving and physical separation with hydrocyclones. 
The last production step is usually a centrifugal separation from the starch slurry followed by drying with hot air. 
The starch separation process may use sulfur dioxide or peroxides as a processing aid, improving the separation process and the microbial quality of the final product.

Definition    
A polysaccharide that occurs exclusively in plants. 
Starches are extracted commercially from maize, wheat, barley, rice, potatoes, and sorghum. 
The starches are storage reservoirs for plants; they can be broken down by enzymes to simple sugars and then metabolized to supply energy needs. 
Starch is a dietary component of animals.
Starch is not a single molecule but a mixture of amylose (water-soluble, blue color with iodine) and amylopectin (not water-soluble, violet color with iodine). 
The composition is amylose 10–20%, amylopectin 80–90%.

starch: A polysaccharide consistingof various proportions of two glucosepolymers, amylose and amylopectin.
Starch occurs widely in plants,especially in roots, tubers, seeds, andfruits, as a carbohydrate storageproduct and energy source. 
Starch istherefore a major energy source foranimals. 
When digested it ultimatelyyields glucose. Starch granules are insolublein cold water but disrupt ifheated to form a gelatinous solution.
This gives an intense blue colourwith iodine solutions and starch isused as an indicator in certain titrations.

General Description    
Fine, white, odorless powder. 
Note that granules from different vegetable sources vary in shape, size, and general appearance. 
A mixture of the carbohydrate polymers amylose amylopectin varying according to the vegetable source. Principally used for food.


Chemical Properties    
white fine crystalline powder

Starch occurs as an odorless and tasteless, fine, white to off-white powder. 
Starch consists of very small spherical or ovoid granules or grains whose size and shape are characteristic for each botanical variety.

Uses:
Dusting powder; pharmaceutic aid.

corn starch is used as a thickener in cosmetics and in face powders. 
Corn starch absorbs water and is soothing to the skin. 
Starch can cause allergic reactions such as inflamed eyes, stuffy nose, and perennial hay fever. 
A natural material obtained from corn kernels.

Starch is a carbohydrate consisting of glucose units containing amy- lose and amylopectin which contribute to varying starch properties. 
starch is insoluble in cold water, but upon heating the starch gran- ules swell and burst forming starch paste. 
starch sources include arrowroot, corn, potato, rice, sage, tapioca, waxy corn, and wheat. 
starches are modified by treatment to alter their functional proper- ties. 
terminology designating these starches includes acid-modified cornstarch, food starch modified, modified food starch, oxidized cornstarch, pregelatinized starch, thin-boiling starch, and wheat starch, gelatinized. see specific starch.

Production Methods    
Starch is extracted from plant sources with specific processes according to the botanical origin. 
Typical production steps are steeping (corn), wet milling (corn, potato), dry milling (wheat), or sieving and physical separation with hydrocyclones. 
The last production step is usually a centrifugal separation from the starch slurry followed by drying with hot air. 
The starch separation process may use sulfur dioxide or peroxides as a processing aid, improving the separation process and the microbial quality of the final product.

Definition    
A polysaccharide that occurs exclusively in plants. 
Starches are extracted commercially from maize, wheat, barley, rice, potatoes, and sorghum. 
The starches are storage reservoirs for plants; they can be broken down by enzymes to simple sugars and then metabolized to supply energy needs. 
Starch is a dietary component of animals.

Starch is not a single molecule but a mixture of amylose (water-soluble, blue color with iodine) and amylopectin (not water-soluble, violet color with iodine). 
The composition is amylose 10–20%, amylopectin 80–90%.

Definition    
starch: A polysaccharide consistingof various proportions of two glucosepolymers, amylose and amylopectin.Starch occurs widely in plants,especially in roots, tubers, seeds, andfruits, as a carbohydrate storageproduct and energy source. Starch istherefore a major energy source foranimals.
When digested it ultimatelyyields glucose. Starch granules are insolublein cold water but disrupt ifheated to form a gelatinous solution.This gives an intense blue colourwith iodine solutions and starch isused as an indicator in certain titrations.

General Description    
Fine, white, odorless powder. 
Note that granules from different vegetable sources vary in shape, size, and general appearance.
A mixture of the carbohydrate polymers amylose amylopectin varying according to the vegetable source. Principally used for food.

Agricultural Uses    
Starch is reserve carbohydrate usually stored in the seeds, roots or stems of a plant. 
Starch is the second largest source of carbohydrates, next only to cellulose. 
Although starch is widespread in plants, only a few sources are abundant enough to make the extraction commercially feasible. 
The general sources are arrowroot, barley, corn, maize, potato, rice, sago, sorghum, tapioca and wheat. 
Arrowroot, barley, potato and wheat are commercial sources of starch, available as loosely packed granules of varying shapes and sizes. 
There are two basic types of starch molecules - the linear starch polymer and the branched starch polymer. 
Starch is a polysaccharide consisting of various proportions of the two glucose polymers, namely, amylose and amylopectin.
Amylose consists of an unbranched chain of 200 to 500 glucose units, whereas amylopectin consists of chains of 20 glucose units joined by cross links to give a highly branched structure. 
Most natural starches are mixtures of amylose and amylopectin; potato and cereal starches are 20 to 30% amylose and 70 to 80% amylopectin.
Amylum is the ordinary starch found in all green plants. 
A molecule of starch is built out of a large number of a-glucose rings joined through oxygen atoms, thus making starch a major energy source for animals. 
Starch is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, white amorphous powder insoluble in water. 
Starch turns iodine solutions intensely blue, and is used as an indicator in certain titrations. 
An expert can tell the source of a starch
by its appearance in a grain under the microscope. 
Starches in the form of rice, potato, wheat and some cereal products, supply about 70% of the world's food. 
Soluble starch is obtained by heating ordinary starch with 10% hydrochloric acid for 24 hours and then precipitating it with alcohol.
Natural starches are used as thickeners in food.

Pharmaceutical Applications:
Starch is a versatile excipient used primarily in oral solid-dosage formulations where it is utilized as a binder, diluent, and disintegrant.
As a diluent, starch is used for the preparation of standardized triturates of colorants, potent drugs, and herbal extracts, facilitating subsequent mixing or blending processes in manufacturing operations. 
Starch is also used in dry-filled capsule formulations for volume adjustment of the fill matrix, and to improve powder flow, especially when using dried starches. 
Starch quantities of 3–10% w/w can act as an antiadherent and lubricant in tableting and capsule filling.
In tablet formulations, freshly prepared starch paste is used at a concentration of 3–20% w/w (usually 5–10%, depending on the starch type) as a binder for wet granulation. 
The required binder ratio should be determined by optimization studies, using parameters such as tablet friability and hardness, disintegration time, and drug dissolution rate.
Starch is one of the most commonly used tablet disintegrants at concentrations of 3–25% w/w; a typical concentration is 15%. 
When using starch, a prior granulation step is required in most cases to avoid problems with insufficient flow and segregation. 
A starch– lactose compound has been introduced enabling the use of granular starch in direct compression, improving the tableting process and the disintegration time of the tablets. 
However, starch that is not pregelatinized does not compress well and tends to increase tablet friability and capping if used in high concentrations.
Balancing the elastic properties of starch with adapted excipients has been shown to improve the compaction properties in tableting.
Starch, particularly the fine powders of rice and wheat starch, is also used in topical preparations for its absorbency of liquids. 
Starch paste is used in ointment formulations, usually in the presence of higher ratios of glycerin.

Starch has been investigated as an excipient in novel drug delivery systems for nasal, and other site-specific delivery systems. 
The retrogradation of starch can be used to modify the surface properties of drug particles. 
Starches are useful carriers for amorphous drug preparations, such as pellets with immediate or delayed drug release obtained, for example, by melt extrusion, and they can improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Starch, particularly rice starch, has also been used in the treatment of children’s diarrheal diseases.
Specific starch varieties with a high amylose content (resistant starches) are used as insoluble fiber in clinical nutrition, and also for colon-targeting applications.
Due to their very high gelatinization temperature, these starches are used in extrusion/spheronization processes. 
Starches with a high amylopectin content (waxy starches) are used as the starting material for the synthesis of hydroxyethyl starch, a plasma volume expander.
Native starches conforming to pharmacopeial specifications are used as the raw materials for the production of starch-based excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients, frequently covered with their own pharmacopeial monographs.


storage    Dry starch is stable if protected from high humidity. 
Starch is considered to be chemically and microbiologically inert under normal storage conditions. 
Starch solutions or pastes are physically unstable and are readily metabolized by microorganisms; they should therefore be freshly prepared when used for wet granulation.
Starch should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.


Starch, a white, granular, organic chemical that is produced by all green plants. 
Starch is a soft, white, tasteless powder that is insoluble in cold water, alcohol, or other solvents.
The basic chemical formula of the starch molecule is (C6H10O5)n.
Starch is a polysaccharide comprising glucose monomers joined in α 1,4 linkages. 
The simplest form of starch is the linear polymer amylose; amylopectin is the branched form.

Starch is manufactured in the green leaves of plants from excess glucose produced during photosynthesis and serves the plant as a reserve food supply. 
Starch is stored in chloroplasts in the form of granules and in such storage organs as the roots of the cassava plant; the tuber of the potato; the stem pith of sago; and the seeds of corn, wheat, and rice. 
When required, starch is broken down, in the presence of certain enzymes and water, into its constituent monomer glucose units, which diffuse from the cell to nourish the plant tissues. 
In humans and other animals, starch from plants is broken down into its constituent sugar molecules, which then supply energy to the tissues.
Most commercial starch is made from corn, although wheat, tapioca, and potato starch are also used.
Commercial starch is obtained by crushing or grinding starch-containing tubers or seeds and then mixing the pulp with water; the resulting paste is freed of its remaining impurities and then dried. 
Aside from their basic nutritional uses, starches are used in brewing and as thickening agents in baked goods and confections. 
Starch is used in paper manufacturing to increase the strength of paper and is also used in the surface sizing of paper. 
Starch is used in the manufacture of corrugated paperboard, paper bags and boxes, and gummed paper and tape. 
Large quantities of starch are also used in the textile industry as warp sizing, which imparts strength to the thread during weaving.


Starchy foods are our main source of carbohydrate and have an important role in a healthy diet.

Starchy foods – such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and cereals – should make up just over a third of the food you eat, as shown by the Eatwell Guide.

Where you can, choose wholegrain varieties, and eat potatoes with their skin on for more fibre.

We should eat some starchy foods every day as part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

Why do you need starchy foods?
Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet. As well as starch, they contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.

Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram they contain fewer than half the calories of fat.

Just watch out for the added fats you use when you cook and serve them, because this will increase the calorie content.

Learn more on our pages about Fat: the facts and The truth about carbs.

Starchy foods and fibre
Wholegrain varieties of starchy foods and potatoes (particularly when eaten with their skin on) are good sources of fibre.

Fibre is the name given to a range of substances found in the cell walls of vegetables, fruits, pulses and cereal grains. 

Fibre that cannot be digested helps other food and waste products to move through the gut.

Potato skins, wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta are all good sources of this kind of fibre.

Fibre can help keep your bowels healthy and can help you feel full, which means you're less likely to eat too much.

This makes wholegrain starchy foods and potatoes eaten with their skin on a particularly good choice if you're trying to lose weight.

Some types of fibre found in fruits and vegetables – such as apples, carrots, potatoes – and in oats and pulses can be partly digested and may help reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood.

Tips for eating more starchy foods
These tips can help you increase the amount of starchy foods in your diet.

Breakfast
Choose wholegrain cereals, or mix some in with your favourite healthy breakfast cereals.
Plain porridge with fruit makes a warming winter breakfast.
Whole oats with fruit and low-fat, lower-sugar yoghurt makes a tasty summer breakfast.
Get more healthy breakfast ideas.

Lunch and dinner
Try a baked potato for lunch – eat the skin for even more fibre.
Instead of having chips or frying potatoes, try making oven-baked potato wedges.
Have more rice or pasta and less sauce – but do not skip the vegetables.
Try breads such as seeded, wholemeal or granary. When you choose wholegrain varieties, you'll also increase the amount of fibre you're eating.
Try brown rice – it makes a very tasty rice salad.
Types of starchy foods
Potatoes
Potatoes are a great choice of starchy food and a good source of energy, fibre, B vitamins and potassium. 

In the UK, we also get a lot of our vitamin C from potatoes. 
Although potatoes only contain a small amount of vitamin C, we generally eat a lot of them. 
They're good value for money and can be a healthy choice.

Although potatoes are a vegetable, in the UK we mostly eat them as the starchy food part of a meal, and they're a good source of carbohydrate in our diet.

Because of this, potatoes do not count towards your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but they can have an important role in your diet. 

Potatoes are a healthy choice when boiled, baked, mashed or roasted with only a small amount of fat or oil and no added salt. 

French fries and other chips cooked in oil or served with salt are not a healthy choice.

When cooking or serving potatoes, go for lower-fat or polyunsaturated spreads, or small amounts of unsaturated oils, such as olive or sunflower oil.

For mashed potato, use lower-fat milk, such as semi-skimmed, 1% fat or skimmed milk, instead of whole milk or cream.

Leave potato skins on where possible, to keep more of the fibre and vitamins. 
For example, eat the skin when you have boiled or baked potatoes.

If you boil potatoes, some nutrients will leak out into the water, especially if you have peeled them. 
To stop this happening, only use enough water to cover them and cook them only for as long as they need.

Storing potatoes in a cool, dark and dry place will help stop them sprouting.
Do not eat any green, damaged or sprouting bits of potatoes, as these can contain toxins that can be harmful.

Bread
Bread, especially wholemeal, granary, brown and seeded varieties, is a healthy choice to eat as part of a balanced diet.

Wholegrain, wholemeal and brown breads give us energy and contain B vitamins, vitamin E, fibre and a wide range of minerals.

White bread also contains a range of vitamins and minerals, but it has less fibre than wholegrain, wholemeal or brown bread. 
If you prefer white bread, look for higher-fibre options.

Some people avoid bread because they're concerned about having a food intolerance or allergy to wheat, or they think bread is fattening.

However, completely cutting out any type of food from your diet could mean you miss out on a range of nutrients that you need to stay healthy.

If you're concerned that you have a wheat allergy or intolerance, speak to a GP.

Bread can be stored at room temperature. Follow the "best before" date to make sure you eat it fresh.

Cereal products
Cereal products are made from grains. 
Wholegrain cereals can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fibre, B vitamins and protein. 
Higher-fibre options can also provide a slow release of energy.

Wheat, oats, barley, rye and rice are commonly available cereals that can be eaten as wholegrains.

This means cereal products consisting of oats or oatmeal, such as porridge, and wholewheat products are healthy breakfast options.

Barley, couscous, corn and tapioca also count as healthy cereal products. 

Many cereal products in the UK are refined, with low wholegrain content. 
They can also be high in added salt and sugar.

When you're shopping for cereals, check the food labels to compare different products.

For more advice, read about healthy breakfast cereals.

Rice and grains
Rice and grains are an excellent choice of starchy food. 
They give us energy, are low in fat, and good value for money.

There are many types to choose from, including:

all kinds of rice – such as quick-cook, arborio, basmati, long grain, brown, short grain and wild
couscous
bulgur wheat
As well as carbohydrates, rice and grains (particularly brown and wholegrain varieties) can contain:

fibre, which can help your body get rid of waste products
B vitamins, which help release energy from the food you eat and help your body work properly
Rice and grains, such as couscous and bulgur wheat, can be eaten hot or cold, and in salads.

There are a few precautions you should take when storing and reheating cooked rice and grains. 
This is because the spores of some food poisoning bugs can survive cooking.

If cooked rice or grains are left standing at room temperature, the spores can germinate. 
The bacteria multiply and produce toxins that make you be sick (vomit) and have diarrhoea. 
Reheating food will not get rid of these toxins.

It's therefore best to serve rice and grains as soon as they have been cooked. 
If this is not possible, cool them within 1 hour of cooking and keep them refrigerated until you reheat them or use them in a recipe such as a salad.

It's important to throw away any rice and grains that have been left at room temperature overnight.

If you are not going to eat cooked rice immediately, refrigerate it within 1 hour and eat it within 24 hours.

Rice should be reheated thoroughly, reaching a core temperature of 70C for 2 minutes (or equivalent) so it's steaming hot throughout.

Rice should not be reheated more than once – it should be thrown away. 
Do not reheat rice unless it's been chilled safely and kept in a fridge until you reheat it.

Follow the "use by" date and storage instructions on the label for any cold rice or grain salads that you buy.

Pasta in your diet
Pasta is another healthy option to base your meal on. 
Starch consists of dough made from durum wheat and water and contains iron and B vitamins.

Wholewheat or wholegrain are healthier than ordinary pasta, as they contain more fibre. 
We digest wholegrain foods slower than refined grains, so they can help us feel full for longer.

Dried pasta can be stored in a cupboard and typically has a long shelf life, while fresh pasta will need to be refrigerated and has a shorter lifespan.

Check the food packaging for "best before" or "use by" dates and further storage instructions.

Acrylamide in starchy food
Acrylamide is a chemical that's created when many foods, particularly starchy foods like potatoes and bread, are cooked for long periods at high temperatures, such as when baking, frying, grilling, toasting and roasting.

There's evidence to show acrylamide can cause cancer.

The Food Standards Agency has these tips to reduce your risk of acrylamide at home:

Go for gold: aim for a golden yellow colour, or lighter, when baking, toasting, roasting or frying starchy foods like potatoes, root vegetables and bread.
Check the pack: follow the cooking instructions carefully when frying or oven-heating packaged food products such as chips, roast potatoes and parsnips. 
These instructions are to help you cook the product correctly, so you do not cook starchy foods for too long or at temperatures that are too high.
Eat a varied and balanced diet: while we cannot completely avoid risks like acrylamide in food, this will help reduce your risk of cancer. 
This includes basing meals on starchy carbohydrates and getting your 5 A Day. 
Avoid frying or roasting potatoes and root vegetables. Instead, boil or steam them as this will both reduce your risk of acrylamide and cut down on fat.
Do not keep raw potatoes in the fridge: storing raw potatoes in the fridge can increase overall acrylamide levels. 
Raw potatoes should ideally be stored in a dark, cool place at temperatures above 6C.


19 Foods That Are High in Starch

Carbohydrates can be divided into three main categories: sugar, fiber and starch.

Starches are the most commonly consumed type of carb, and an important source of energy for many people. Cereal grains and root vegetables are common sources.

Starches are classified as complex carbs, since they consist of many sugar molecules joined together.

Traditionally, complex carbs have been viewed as healthier options. Whole-food starches gradually release sugar into the blood, rather than causing blood sugar levels to spike rapidly.

Blood sugar spikes are bad because they can leave you tired, hungry and craving more high-carb foods.

However, many of the starches people eat today are highly refined. They can actually cause your blood sugar levels to spike rapidly, even though they’re classified as complex carbs.

That’s because highly refined starches have been stripped of nearly all their nutrients and fiber. Simply put, they contain empty calories and provide little nutritional benefit.

Many studies have also shown that eating a diet rich in refined starches is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and weight gain .

This article lists 19 foods that are high in starch.

1. Cornmeal (74%)
Cornmeal is a type of coarse flour made by grinding dried corn kernels. 
Starch is naturally gluten-free, which means it is safe to eat if you have celiac disease.

Although cornmeal contains some nutrients, it is very high in carbs and starch. 
One cup (159 grams) contains 126 grams of carbs, of which 117 grams (74%) is starch.

If you are choosing cornmeal, opt for a whole grain instead of a de-germed variety. 
When cornmeal is de-germed, it loses some fiber and nutrients.

Cornmeal is a gluten-free flour made from dried corn. 
One cup (159 grams) contains 117 grams of starch, or 74% by weight.
2. Rice Krispies Cereal (72.1%)
Rice Krispies are a popular cereal made of crisped rice. 
This is simply a combination of puffed rice and sugar paste that is formed into the crispy rice shapes.

They are often fortified with vitamins and minerals. 
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving contains over a third of your daily needs for thiamine, riboflavin, folate, iron, and vitamins B6 and B12.

That said, Rice Krispies are highly processed and incredibly high in starch. 
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving contains 20.2 grams of starch, or 72.1% by weight.

If Rice Krispies are a staple in your household, consider choosing a healthier breakfast alternative. You can find a few healthy cereals here.

Rice Krispies are a popular cereal made with rice and fortified with vitamins and minerals. 
They contain 20.2 grams of starch per ounce, or 72.1% by weight.

3. Pretzels (71.3%)
Pretzels are a popular snack high in refined starch.

A standard serving of 10 pretzel twists (60 grams) contains 42.8 grams of starch, or 71.3% by weight.

Unfortunately, pretzels are often made with refined wheat flour. 
This type of flour may cause blood sugar spikes and leave you fatigued and hungry.

More importantly, frequent blood sugar spikes can reduce your body’s ability to lower your blood sugar effectively, and may even lead to type 2 diabetes.

Pretzels are often made with refined wheat and may make your blood sugar spike rapidly. 
A 60-gram serving of 10 pretzel twists contains 42.8 grams of starch, or 71.4% by weight.
4–6: Flours (68–70%)
Flours are versatile baking ingredients and a pantry staple.

They come in many different varieties, such as sorghum, millet, wheat and refined wheat flour. 
They are also generally high in starch.

4. Millet Flour (70%)
Millet flour is made from grinding the seeds of millet, a group of very nutritious ancient grains.

One cup (119 grams) of millet flour contains 83 grams of starch, or 70% by weight.

Millet flour is also naturally gluten-free and rich in magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium.

Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. 
Although pearl millet is very nutritious, there is some evidence that it may interfere with thyroid function. 
However, the effects in humans are unclear, so more studies are needed.

5. Sorghum Flour (68%)
Sorghum is a nutritious ancient grain that is ground to make sorghum flour.

One cup (121 grams) of sorghum flour contains 82 grams of starch, or 68% by weight. 
Although it is high in starch, sorghum flour is a much better choice than most types of flour.

That’s because it is gluten-free and an excellent source of protein and fiber. 
One cup contains 10.2 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.

Moreover, sorghum is a great source of antioxidants. Studies have shown that these antioxidants may help reduce insulin resistance, reduce blood cholesterol and may have anticancer properties.

6. White Flour (68%)
Whole-grain wheat has three key components. 
The outer layer is known as the bran, the germ is the grain’s reproductive part, and the endosperm is its food supply.

White flour is made by stripping whole wheat of its bran and germ, which are packed with nutrients and fiber (23Trusted Source).

This leaves just the endosperm, which is pulverized into white flour. 
Starch is generally low in nutrients and mostly contains empty calories.

In addition, the endosperm gives white flour a high starch content. 
One cup (120 grams) of white flour contains 81.6 grams of starch, or 68% by weight.


Millet flour, sorghum flour and white flour are popular flours with a similar starch content. 
Of the bunch, sorghum is the healthiest, while white flour is unhealthy and should be avoided.

7. Saltine Crackers (67.8%)
Saltine or soda crackers are thin, square crackers that are made with refined wheat flour, yeast and baking soda. People commonly eat them alongside a bowl of soup or chili.

Although saltine crackers are low in calories, they are also low in vitamins and minerals. In addition, they are very high in starch.

For instance, a serving of five standard saltine crackers (15 grams) contains 11 grams of starch, or 67.8% by weight.

If you enjoy crackers, opt for ones that are made with 100% whole grains and seeds.

Although saltine crackers are a popular snack, they are low in nutrients and high in starch. A serving of five standard saltine crackers (15 grams) contains 11 grams of starch, or 67.8% by weight.

8. Oats (57.9%)
Oats are among the healthiest grains you can eat.

They provide a good amount of protein, fiber and fat, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. 
This makes oats an excellent choice for a healthy breakfast.

Moreover, studies have shown that oats can help you lose weight, reduce your blood sugar levels and lower your risk of heart disease.

Yet even though they are one of the healthiest foods and an excellent addition to your diet, they are also high in starch. 
One cup of oats (81 grams) contains 46.9 grams of starch, or 57.9% by weight.

Oats are an excellent breakfast choice and contain a great variety of vitamins and minerals. 
One cup (81 grams) contains 46.9 grams of starch, or 57.9% by weight.


9. Whole-Wheat Flour (57.8%)
Compared to refined flour, whole-wheat flour is more nutritious and lower in starch. 
This makes it a better option in comparison.

For instance, 1 cup (120 grams) of whole-wheat flour contains 69 grams of starch, or 57.8% by weight.

Although both types of flour contain a similar amount of total carbs, whole wheat has more fiber and is more nutritious. 
This makes it a much healthier option for your recipes.

Whole-wheat flour is a great source of fiber and nutrients. 
A single cup (120 grams) contains 69 grams of starch, or 57.8% by weight.
10. Instant Noodles (56%)
Instant noodles are a popular convenience food because they are cheap and easy to make.

However, they are highly processed and are generally low in nutrients. 
In addition, they are typically high in fat and carbs.

For instance, a single packet contains 54 grams of carbs and 13.4 grams of fat.

Most of the carbs from instant noodles come from starch. 
A packet contains 47.7 grams of starch, or 56% by weight.

In addition, studies have shown that people who consume instant noodles more than twice per week have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease. 
This appears to be especially true for women.


Instant noodles are highly processed and very high in starch. 
One packet contains 47.7 grams of starch, or 56% by weight.
11–14: Breads and Bread Products (40.2–44.4%)
Breads and bread products are common staple foods around the world. 
These include white bread, bagels, English muffins and tortillas.

However, many of these products are made with refined wheat flour and have a high glycemic index score. This means they can rapidly spike your blood sugar.

11. English Muffins (44.4%)
English muffins are a flat, circular type of bread that is commonly toasted and served with butter.

A regular-sized English muffin contains 23.1 grams of starch, or 44.4% by weight .

12. Bagels (43.6%)
Bagels are a common bread product that originated in Poland.

They are also high in starch, providing 38.8 grams per medium-sized bagel, or 43.6% by weight (36).

13. White Bread (40.8%)
Like refined wheat flour, white bread is made almost exclusively from the endosperm of wheat. In turn, it has a high starch content.

Two slices of white bread contain 20.4 grams of starch, or 40.8% by weight (37).

White bread is also low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. If you want to eat bread, choose a whole-grain option instead.

14. Tortillas (40.2%)
Tortillas are a type of thin, flat bread made from either corn or wheat. They originated in Mexico.

A single tortilla (49 grams) contains 19.7 grams of starch, or 40.2% by weight (38Trusted Source).


Breads come in many different forms, but are generally high in starch and should be limited in your diet. 
Bread products such as English muffins, bagels, white bread and tortillas contain about 40–45% starch by weight.

15. Shortbread Cookies (40.5%)
Shortbread cookies are a classic Scottish treat. They are traditionally made using three ingredients — sugar, butter and flour.

They are also very high in starch, with a single 12-gram cookie containing 4.8 grams of starch, or 40.5% by weight.

Additionally, be wary of commercial shortbread cookies. 
They may contain artificial trans fats, which are linked with higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and belly fat.

Shortbread cookies are high in starch, containing 4.8 grams of starch per cookie, or 40.5% by weight. 
You should limit them in your diet because they are high in calories and may contain trans fats.

16. Rice (28.7%)
Rice is the most commonly consumed staple food in the world.

Starch is also high in starch, especially in its uncooked form. For instance, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of uncooked rice contain 80.4 grams of carbs, of which 63.6% is starch.

However, when rice is cooked, the starch content drops dramatically.

In the presence of heat and water, starch molecules absorb water and swell. 
Eventually, this swelling breaks the bonds between starch molecules through a process called gelatinization.

Therefore, 3.5 ounces of cooked rice only contain 28.7% starch, because cooked rice carries a lot more water.

Rice is the most commonly consumed staple item in the world. 
Starch contains less starch when cooked, because starch molecules absorb water and break down during the cooking process.

17. Pasta (26%)
Pasta is type of noodle that is typically made from durum wheat. 
Starch comes in many different forms, such as spaghetti, macaroni and fettuccine, just to name a few.

Like rice, pasta has less starch when it is cooked because it gelatinizes in heat and water. For instance, dry spaghetti contains 62.5% starch, while cooked spaghetti contains only 26% starch (46, 47).

SUMMARY:
Pasta comes in many different forms. 
Starch contains 62.5% starch in its dry form, and 26% starch in its cooked form.
18. Corn (18.2%)
Corn is one of the most widely consumed cereal grains. 
Starch also has the highest starch content among whole vegetables.

For instance, 1 cup (141 grams) of corn kernels contains 25.7 grams of starch, or 18.2% by weight.

Although it is a starchy vegetable, corn is very nutritious and a great addition to your diet. 
Starch is especially rich in fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals such as folate, phosphorus and potassium.

Although corn is high in starch, it is naturally high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. One cup (141 grams) of corn kernels contains 25.7 grams of starch, or 18.2% by weight.

19. Potatoes (18%)
Potatoes are incredibly versatile and a staple food in many households. 
They are often among the first foods that come to mind when you think of starchy foods.

Interestingly, potatoes don’t contain as much starch as flours, baked goods or cereals, but they do contain more starch than other vegetables.

For instance, a medium-sized baked potato (138 grams) contains 24.8 grams of starch, or 18% by weight.

Potatoes are an excellent part of a balanced diet because they are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, potassium and manganese.


Although potatoes are high in starch compared to most vegetables, they’re also rich in vitamins and minerals. 
That’s why potatoes are still an excellent part of a balanced diet.


How is starch useful?
Starch is a type of carbohydrate. 
Its molecules are made up of large numbers of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. 
Starch is a white solid at room temperature, and does not dissolve in cold water.

Most plants, including rice, potatoes and wheat, store their energy as starch. 
This explains why these foods – and anything made from wheat flour – are high in starch.

You can use iodine to test foods for starch. 
If starch is present, the orange-yellow iodine solution becomes blue-black.

Starch has many uses. Your body digests starch to make glucose, which is a vital energy source for every cell. 
Food companies use starch to thicken processed foods, and to make sweeteners. 
Scientists are investigating the effects of these sweeteners on health.

Starch belongs to a group of polysaccharide carbohydrates. 
Carbohydrates are organic compounds comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually in the ratio of 1:2:1. They are one of the major classes of biomolecules. 
As a nutrient, they can be classified into two major groups: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. 
Simple carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as simply sugar, consist of one or two saccharide residues.

They are readily digested and serve as a rapid source of energy. 
Complex carbohydrates (such as cellulose, starch, chitin, and glycogen) are those that need more time to be digested and metabolized. 
They often are high in fiber and unlike simple carbohydrates, they are less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels. 
Glycogen, in particular, is stored in the liver for quick access to energy as it is burnt before fat.

History and Terminology
Starch has long been known and used as early as 100,000 years ago. 
Starch is believed to be used in food preparations, such as in making bread and in porridges. 
This hypothesis is based upon the stone tools unearthed from old caves. 
The tools were likely used to scrape and grind starch grains from wild sorghum. 
This observation led scientists to presume that the inclusion of starch in the prehistoric diet of early humans in the African savannahs and woodlands improved diet quality. 
The processing of grains into a staple marked the shift of the prehistoric diet and believed to be a crucial step in human evolution. 
The word starch may come from the Old English stearc (“stark, strong, rough”), which in turn might have a Germanic origin, i.e. starchī, meaning “strong”.

Characteristics
A starch is a complex polysaccharide made up of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. 
Starch is white, tasteless, and odorless powder. 
Starch has a variable molar mass. 
Starch is insoluble in alcohol and in cold water. 
Its chemical formula is (C6H10O5)n. 
Two types of molecules comprise a pure starch: amylose and amylopectin. 
Both amylose and amylopectin are polysaccharides comprised of glucose residues. 
They differ in structure: amylose is a linear chain of glucose molecules connected by α-(1,4) glycosidic bonds whereas amylopectin is a branched-chain of glucose molecules linked linearly with α-(1,4) glycosidic bonds and α-(1,6) bonds at intervals of 24 to 30 glucose subunits. 

Since starch is a polysaccharide consisting essentially of D-glucose, it therefore belongs to a group of α-glucans.

Amylopectin is more soluble in water and easier to digest than amylose. 
Its solubility is due to the many endpoints, which can form hydrogen bonds with water. 
In general, starch contains 75 -80% amylopectin and 20-25% amylose by weight.


Dehydration Synthesis
The chemical process of joining monosaccharide units is referred to as dehydration synthesis since it results in the release of water as a byproduct. 
Starch is produced by dehydration synthesis. Plants store glucose that is not in use as starch. 
First, glucose is phosphorylated into glucose-1-phosphate. 
Starch granules are stored inside the amyloplasts located inside the cells of various plant organs. 
Starch granules may be found in fruits, seeds, tubers, and rhizomes. 
Daisies, sunflowers,  and Jerusalem artichokes are examples of plants that store inulin (which is a fructan) instead of starch.

Degradation
In plants, starch degradation occurs naturally at night. 
The enzyme glucan water dikinase phosphorylates the starch, particularly at C-6 of one of the glucose residues. 
Then, another enzyme (phosphoglucan water dikinase) phosphorylates the glucose residue at C-3. After phosphorylation, degrading enzymes can now act on starch to liberate simple sugars. 
For instance, beta-amylase liberates two glucose residues as maltose. 
Another degrading enzyme is the disproportionating enzyme-1 that at the end of the degradation process liberates glucose molecule. 
Starch degradation gives rise to chiefly maltose and smaller amounts of glucose. 
These simple sugars will then be moved out of the plastid into the cytosol via transporters: maltose transporter for maltose and plastidic glucose translocater for glucose. 
They may be used later as a substrate for the biosynthesis of sucrose, which is essential in the mitochondrial oxidative pentose pathway that generates ATP at night.

Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is the process of converting a polysaccharide, such as starch, into simple sugar components.
The process of converting polysaccharides into monosaccharides, in particular, is called saccharification. 
In humans, complex carbohydrates such as starch are digested through a series of enzymatic reactions. 
These enzymes are salivary amylase, pancreatic amylase, and maltase. 
Salivary amylase acts on the starch and breaks it down to maltose.
When the partially-digested carbohydrates reach the small intestine, the pancreas secretes pancreatic juices that includes the pancreatic amylase. 
This enzyme acts on the partially-digested carbohydrates by breaking them down into simple sugars. 
The brush border of the small intestine releases digestive enzymes such as isomaltase, maltase, sucrase, and lactase. 
Isomaltase digests polysaccharides at the alpha 1-6 linkages, and convert alpha-limit dextrin to maltose. 
Maltase breaks down maltose (a disaccharide) into two glucose units. 
Sucrase and lactase digest sucrose and lactose into monosaccharide constituents, respectively. 
The epithelial cells (enterocytes) at the brush border of the small intestine absorb monosaccharides and then release them into the capillaries. 
The simple sugars are then transported to the cells of other tissues, especially to the liver, from the bloodstream. Glucose in the blood may be utilized by the body to produce ATP. 
Otherwise, it is transported to the liver, together with the galactose and fructose (which are largely converted into glucose), for storage as glycogen.

Resistant starch
Resistant starch is a form of starch that resists digestion in the small intestine of humans. 
Starch is also dietary fiber.
Starch is metabolized instead in the large intestine by the colonic microbiota. 
The microbes in the colon ferment it and produce metabolic byproducts such as gases and short-chain fatty acids. 
The short chain fatty acids, in particular, are absorbed and provide health benefits to the human body.
Fermentation of resistant starch also helps promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Plant starch vs. Animal starch
Animal starch is not a starch per se. 
Starch refers to the constituent of the animal’s glycogen owing to the similarity in the structure and composition of amylopectin. 
While plants store excess glucose in the form of starch, the animals also do so in the form of glycogen. 
Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose that is mainly produced in liver and muscle cells, and functions as secondary long-term energy storage in animal cells. 
Similar to starch, glycogen is a complex carbohydrate that primarily serves as a storage carbohydrate. 
The difference between the amylopectin in plants and the amylopectin in animals is that the latter has more extensive branching at every 8 to 12 glucose units.


IUPAC NAMES:
(2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol
5-[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-[[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-2-[4,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyloxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4-diol
[2-[2-[[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-6-[4,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyloxan-3-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-4-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-3-yl] acetate
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
CORN STARCH
STARCH
Starch
starch

SYNONYMS:
tapon
trogum
w-13stabilizer
w-gum
STABLE STARCH INDICATOR
STARCH INDICATOR
STARCH INDICATOR SOLUTION
WHEAT(TRITICUMVULGARE)STARCH
Pregelatine
STARCH,ARROWROOT,POWDER
STARCH,CORN,POWDER,NF
STARCH,POTATO,POWDER
STARCH,RICE,POWDER
STARCH,WHEAT,POWDER
STARCHDUST
STARCHPOWDER
BIOSORBSTARCH
CORNSTARCHGLOVEPOWDER
Strke
Starch
CORN STARCH NF, PREGELATINIZED
STARCH NF
Starch respirable dust
Starch Total Dust
STARCH CORN/MAIZE pure
POTATO STARCH pure
Starch for pharmaceutical
Corn starch, Starch from maize
Starch, Hydrolyzed for Electrophoresis
Aquatic feed adhesive
Feed adhesive
Barbecue charcoal adhesive
starch plastics
alpha-starch
amaizow13
amylomaizevii
aquapel(polysaccharide)
Drilling additives
plant gum powder
Coal binder
Plant rubber powder for feed
Pregelatinized Dtarch
Putty powder special rubber powder
Liquid filtrate reducer
Starch filtrate reducer
SOLANUM TUBEROSUM (POTATO) STARCH
MOULDING MAIZE STARCH
Starh from potatoes
ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) STARCH
CORN STARCH, STANDARD FOR STARCH*ASSAY K IT
STARCH SOLUBLE FROM POTATOES FOR ELECTRO PHORESIS
STARCH WHEAT PURIFIED
STARCH WHEAT UNMODIFIED
STARCH, CORN, CONTROL FOR TOTAL DIETARY FIBER ASSAY
STARCH SOLUBLE, PURE, ERG. B. 6
STARCH, WHEAT, CONTROL FOR TOTAL*DIETARY FIBER ASSA
WHEAT STARCH, STANDARD FOR STARCH *ASSAY KIT
STARCH FROM CORN, PRACTICAL GRADE


 

  • Share !
E-NEWSLETTER