Unlocking Starch Potential - a guide for Food, Cosmetics, and HoReCa Professionals
Introduction
Starch is one of the most important ingredients used in the food, cosmetics and HoReCa industries. It acts as a thickener, stabilizer, texturizer and carrier of many key properties of final products. With the rapid growth in popularity of plant-based products, the selection of the right type of starch becomes crucial to achieve the desired technological and sensory effects.
The purpose of this article is to provide key information on the different types of starch to help manufacturers make an informed decision about choosing the best ingredient for their products.
1. What is starch?
Starch is a plant polysaccharide consisting of two main fractions: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is responsible for gelling and viscosity, while amylopectin mainly affects the thickening properties and stability of final products. Natural sources of starch include potatoes, corn, tapioca, wheat, rice, peas and many other plants.
The primary function of starch in industry is to modify the texture of products, regulate viscosity, improve shelf life and influence sensory characteristics such as texture or mouthfeel.
2. Classification of starch by source (origin)
Potato starch
Potato starch is characterized by its high thickening ability and high viscosity when heated. It is very sensitive to high temperatures and prolonged processing, which limits its use in products subjected to intensive cooking or sterilization.
It is most often used in sauces, instant soups and delicatessen products. In cosmetics, it is used in mattifying powders, skin care products and dry shampoo, where it is responsible for removing excess sebum from oily hair and is valued for its naturalness and gentleness.
Corn starch
Corn starch is one of the most widely used starches in the world. It is characterized by greater thermal stability than potato starch, making it suitable for more demanding production conditions. Its advantages are its ability to form clear gels and its neutral taste, which does not adversely affect the flavor of final products.
The use of corn starch is wide: from bakery products, dairy and meat alternatives to cosmetics – especially powders, eye shadows and skin care creams.
Tapioca (cassava) starch
Tapioca starch is distinguished by its transparency and neutral taste, making it an ideal ingredient for puddings, desserts and molecular caviar, such as balls added to bubble tea. It is a popular choice in the production of plant-based dairy alternatives – including cheeses – due to its ability to impart a flexible texture reminiscent of dairy products.
In the cosmetics industry, it is valued for its softness and sebum-absorbing properties, making it excellent for making mattifying cosmetics and organic skin care products.
Rice starch
Rice starch is gentle, hypoallergenic and easily digestible. These characteristics make it ideal for use in baby products, dietary foods and gluten-free products. In addition, due to its gentleness and soothing properties, it is often used in cosmetic powders, masks and cosmetics for sensitive skin.
Wheat starch
Wheat starch comes in both gluten and gluten-free variants. It is most commonly used in baked goods, pasta and plant-based sausage alternatives. Its use requires special attention due to possible allergic reactions or gluten intolerance.
In cosmetics it is used less frequently, but is used in washing and skin care products.
Other unusual starches
Less common starches, such as those from peas, yams or green bananas, are also appearing on the market. They are increasingly being experimented with in plant-based products, especially because of their interesting technological properties, as well as their health-promoting properties.
The next section of this article will discuss the types of starches in terms of their functionality, as well as practical tips for choosing the best starch for specific product applications.
3. Types of starch: native, modified and resistant
Native starches – natural possibilities and limitations
Native starches are natural products, extracted without chemical or physical interference. They retain the original properties of their parent plant, but often have limited functionality under more demanding production conditions.
They are usually prone to retrogradation (the process of returning the starch to its crystalline form, which can cause an undesirable change in consistency), have lower thermal stability and limited resistance to low pH. In addition, grains are destroyed during demanding technological processes such as homogenization.
At the same time, their naturalness makes them of great interest to manufacturers of “clean label” products, where it is important to reduce the number of additives and maintain a clear label.
They are used readily in bio, eco and vegan products, whose consumers value the simplicity and naturalness of their compositions.
Modified starches – customized functionality
Modification of starches is aimed at giving them new, desirable properties that native starches do not have or have to a limited degree. These processes can be carried out chemically, enzymatically or physically, and the end result is starches tailored to specific technological needs.
Popular modifications include:
Physically modified starches – are created by subjecting starches to heat, pressure, electricity or radiation. This results in a change in the spatial structure of the chains.
Thus, among others, are created:
Heat-stabilized starches – resistant to high temperatures, prolonged cooking, pasteurization and sterilization.
Cold gelling starches – used in instant products, cold creams, or instant desserts (thickens without heating).
The above category is included in food, it is not an additive, so it does not have an “E” number, and their labeling is simply “starch.”
Chemically modified starches – starch grains are subjected to chemical processes such as oxidation, esterification or etherification.
The chemical processes produce starches with very high resistance to conditions that affect the destruction of starch grains, or retrogradation.
Examples of popular types include:
Acetylated starches – with a reduced tendency to retrogradation (the process of hardening after cooling), providing long-lasting softness and elasticity.
Hydroxypropylated starches – resistant to acidic environments, often used in cosmetic and food products – such as dressings, marinades and sauces with low pH.
The resulting starches are treated as food additives with E1400-E1500 numbers.
Enzyme-modified starches – are created by partial hydrolysis of starch, using enzymes that cut long starch chains into smaller fragments called maltodextrin.
It is used in many confectionery products and fruit preparations as a means of preventing sucrose crystallization.
Like physically modified starches, it is recognized as a food ingredient, and is labeled as “maltodextrin.”
Resistant starch – a functional trend of the future
Resistant starch (RS) is a specific type of starch that is not digested in the small intestine and reaches the large intestine unchanged. There it acts as a prebiotic fiber, supporting healthy intestinal microflora.
For this reason, resistant starch is gaining interest from manufacturers of functional foods, dietary and health-promoting products. It can be naturally present (e.g., in green bananas) or formed as a result of specific heat treatment and refrigeration.
The use of resistant starch can be an interesting marketing differentiator and functional asset for new products, such as energy bars, snacks and functional baked goods.
4. How do you select the starch to match the needs of the product?
When deciding on the type of starch, it is worth asking yourself the following questions:
– Does the product require clarity, or is clarity less important?
– Does the starch need to be resistant to high temperature or low pH?
– What textures and sensory properties do you want to achieve?
– Do you care about a “clean label” declaration?
– What are the manufacturing processes – freezing, sterilization, refrigeration?
– Is the starch to additionally perform health functions, such as resistant starch?
5. The most common mistakes manufacturers make when choosing starch
The choice of starch, while seemingly simple, is often the cause of production errors, leading to financial losses or quality compromises.
Common mistakes include:
– Failure to consider the resistance of starch to heat or mechanical processing.
– Choosing the wrong starch, resulting in undesirable changes in product taste or texture.
– Failure to test the product under actual production conditions.
– Improper declaration of ingredients on the label (in the case of modified starches).
– Mismatch between starch and the specifics of the final product – for example, starch with too high viscosity in beverages or cosmetic products.
The key is to make an informed decision with technological knowledge or take advice from experienced professionals.
Summary
The selection of the right starch is fundamental to achieving an attractive, stable texture in every segment of the food and cosmetics market-from modern, high-quality products to foodservice.
Knowing the specific characteristics and properties of different types of starch allows you to avoid technological mistakes, improve sensory quality and adapt your products to market trends. The right starch isn’t just about functionality – it’s also about marketing potential, allowing you to better communicate the value of your final product to consumers.
At Vegan Stock, we offer comprehensive support in selecting ingredients, product development and multilevel consulting during the new product development process. Our experts provide assistance throughout the process, so that the implementation time of a new product can be cut in half! Feel free to contact us for a personalized consultation.
Read and learn more: Consulting regarding use of plant-based ingredients or contact our experts!
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