A crash course on Starch

1. What is starch?
SOURCES OF STARCH
- Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined
together by glycosidic bonds;
- It is the most important carbohydrate in human diet;
- It is produced by all vegetables as an energy store: it is contained in cereals such as
wheat, corn and rice or in tubers such as potatoes and cassava.
STARCH PRODUCTS
- Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odourless powder that is insoluble in cold water or
alcohol. It can be used as such in processed foods or in the paper industry;
- Glucose syrups are liquids which are used in the food industry for their sweetening
power and for other numerous functionalities or as a fermentescible substrate.
- Starch and glucose can be transformed into modified starches or different kinds of
sweetening products which are used in the food industry.

2. The production process

3. …from wheat
Wheat
Reception
Dry cleaning
Wheat germs
Grinding/Flour
milling
(Lose) bran
Dough
Mixing & drying Separation
Solubles A-starch B-starch Gluten
Dry wheat feed
Washing
Dewatering Refining
Dewatering
Dry wheat
Drying gluten
Evaporation Starch slurry
from wheat
Liquid solubles Wet solubilised
Solubilisation
gluten

4. …from maize
Maize
Production process =
Reception Black box
Dry cleaning
Liquid steep
Evaporation steeping
liquor
Corn steep First grinding
liquor
Degerminating Germs
Drying
Second grinding Dewatering Drying
Fibers Sieving Dry germs Pressing
Dry corn feed
Separation
Oil
Dewatering Starch Proteins Dewatering Drying
Refining
Wet corn fibers
(washing) Dry proteins
Starch slurry
from maize

5. …from potatoes
Potatoes
Production process =
Reception
Black box
Dry cleaning
Wet cleaning
Rasping
Separation
Fruit juice Starch slurry Fibers
Protein
Protein paste Refining Dewatering
separation
Drying Protein juice Starch slurry
Wet pulp Drying
from potatoes
Potato
Evaporation Dry pulp
proteins
Concentrated
fruit juice

6. Wheat starch Maize starch Potato starch
Starch slurry
Chemicals
Conversion
Liquid glucose Refining
and derivates Evaporation
Production
process
= Black box
Including liquid
Liquid glucose
fructose, hydrolysates, glucose
syrups
Maltodextrin
Hydrogenation Crystallization
process
Liquid sorbitol Drying Drying
Special polyol Dry crystallized
Drying Maltodextrins
process dextrose
Drying
Unfermented
Dry sorbitol
special polyols

7. Native starches, modified
starches and dextrins
Wheat starch Maize starch Potato starch
Starch slurry
Modification Chemicals
Dewatering
process
Drying
Production Washing
process
= Black box
Dewatering
Including lightly modified Production
Native starches
starches (e.g. light or dry Drying process
modification) = Black box
Drying
Modified Liquid modifications (e.g.
starches PO, esthers and ethers)
Chemicals
Dextrins

8. THE USES OF STARCH

9. Wide-ranging applications of starch and derivatives in
everyday use
FOOD AND DRINK
Sweeteners,
Starches,
Fibers and Wheat Gluten
ANIMAL FEED AND Proteins PAPER
PET FOOD
The European starch industry Starches AND BOARD
Carbohydrate feedstock
and carriers
INDUSTRIAL BIO-
APPLICATIONS
PHARMACEUTICAL AND
COSMETICS

10. STARCH USES IN FOOD
- Anti-crystallising in confectioneries;
- Sweetening power in beverages;
- Bulking agent / texture in dairy products;
- Preservatives in jams;
- Moistening in bakery products;
- Freezing point depression in ice creams
- Thickening, binding agent in soups & sauces;
- Browning effect in caramels;
- Cooling effect in chewing-gum;
- Low glycemic index in dietetic food…

11. STARCH USES IN PAPER / CORRUGATED BOARD
AND GREEN CHEMISTRY
- Increase strenght in paper;
- Binding power for corrugated board;
- Fermentescibility in green chemistry (amino acids, enzymes…);
- Binding capacity in glues and adhesives;
- Bioplastics production;
- Raw materials for polyurethane production;
- Raw materials for ethanol production…

12. HEALTH, PERSONAL CARE AND NUTRITION
- Health benefits in dietary supplements and energising drinks for
sport activities;
- Nutritional quality in baby food and clinical nutrition;
- Compressibility in pharmaceutical tablets;
- Anti-crystallising in cough syrups;
- Emollient / emulsifier in cosmetics (cream, shower
gel, shampoo);
- Non carciogenic in toothpaste…

13. FEED AND PET FOOD
- Palatability for pets’ food;
- Yellow pigmentation for egg yolks;
- Hydro stability of aqua feed pellets;
- Milk powder replacement in calf milk;
- High digestibility for piglets’ starter feed;
- Protein intake…