This document discusses factors that affect starch paste viscosity and gel strength, including stressors, stirring amount/type, starch kind/amount, heating/cooling rates, and added ingredients. Common starch cooking problems include thinning/weak gels from acid/liquid, skin formation from water loss, scorching from improper temperature control, and ungelatinized/raw starch flavors. Principles for cooking cereals include using a double boiler, observing proportions/times, boiling at 212°F, and properly serving. Pasta should be cooked al dente and cooking times vary by shape/size, with types including long/short, dried/fresh, and filled/stuffed pastas.

2. Factors Affecting Starch Paste Viscosity and
Starch Gel Strength
1. StressorOtherFactors,StirringAmountandType
2. KindandAmountofStarch
3. HeatingRate
4. EndpointTemperature
5. CoolingandStorageConditions
6. IngredientsAdded

3. Common Problems in Starch Cookery
• ThinningofGel–thisproblemisusuallyencounteredwhenusing
acidoracidingredientssuchaslemonorvinegar.
• WeakGel–resultsifthereistoomuchliquidinrelationtothe
starch.
• SkinFormation–isduetolossofwaterfromthestarchandprotein
moleculesnearthesurfaceofthemixture.Toreducethisproblem,
covercontainerofthestarchgelwithawaterproofcover.
• Scorching–thiscanbeavoidedbytemperaturecontrolandconstant
stirringsothestarchgranulesdonotsettleatthebottomofthe
cookingpan.
• RawStarchFlavor–thisisduetoungelatinizedstarch.

4. Principles in Cooking Cereals
 Use a double boiler
 Observe carefully the correct proportions of
cereal, water and salt.
 Cook at boiling temperature (212˚F.)
 Watch the time by the clock, and always cook
the full time prescribed, preferably longer.
 Serve attractively.
 Improper cooking and poor serving are largely
responsible for unpopularity of cereal foods.

6. Cooking Pasta
Pasta should be cooked al
dente, or “to the tooth”. This
means the cooking should be
stopped when the pasta still
feels firm to the bite, not soft
and mushy. Cooking times
differ for every shape and size
of pasta.

7. Types of Pasta