Tag: Native starch

Despite being a staple ingredient in countless processed foods to improve texture and stability, many people wonder: is modified corn starch artificial? While it begins as a natural product, the processes it undergoes lead to a nuanced answer that depends on the method used.

Globally, starch serves as a major source of dietary calories, with more than 80% coming from plants. Native starch is a polymeric carbohydrate produced by plants for energy storage, consisting of two primary glucose polymers: amylose and amylopectin. These components are what native starch is made of, and their specific ratio and structural arrangement dictate the starch's functional properties.

Pregelatinized starch, a physically modified starch, is uniquely soluble in cold water, unlike its native counterpart. This functional difference is a game-changer for instant food products, enabling rapid thickening without the need for heat and simplifying numerous manufacturing processes.

Over 95% of modified starches produced in the United States come from corn, making modified corn starch a ubiquitous ingredient in processed foods, a stark contrast to regular cornstarch. But what is the difference between cornstarch and modified corn starch, and how does this affect what you eat?

As the most common carbohydrate in human diets, starch is a primary energy source from staple foods like corn, wheat, and potatoes. But what does starch mean in ingredients when it appears on a food label, and how does this versatile component affect processed products?

Derived from the endosperm of wheat grains, native wheat starch is a plant-based ingredient that is natural. However, depending on how it is processed for different applications, it can be minimally processed or undergo modifications that change its properties and functionality.