What exactly is modified food starch? Well, as its name suggests, it is food that has been “modified”. That is, it is made up of one less molecule of glucose or one more of an organic sugar (usually from soy). It is usually produced by extracting the starch from vegetables and sometimes animal material. This is the most common method today of making breads and sauces. Other uses include high-acid cooking, candy coating, and adding flavor to foods.
Modified food starch comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble food starch is easily digested and does not change its texture when cooked. Insoluble food starch changes its texture and can clump when heated. The most common of these is corn fiber. However, modified starches can be produced from any vegetable source, including wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, sorghum, buckwheat, triticale, wild rice, cornstarch from tropical and subtropical plants, and so on.
There are two types of chemical modification: non-organic and organic – Non-organic starch is not altered chemically; it is the way nature makes it. Examples are the sugars that appear in fruits, and the starch that occur naturally in many plants, like corn or potatoes, for example. Organic modification, on the other hand, occurs when organisms are chemically changed to provide some sort of nutrient, whether the modification is a short-term immobilization of a key feature or a longer term evolution of the trait over many generations.
The most common of these chemical modifications is the addition of sugar – Sugar is added to increase the stability of a product, which can be done by adding vitamins or amino acids to help protect or boost the growth of a plant. Another example is in the manufacturing process for jams, jellies, sauces, custards and fruit juices. Sometimes the addition of sulfur or an acid is also used as a chemical modification. The purpose of this is to help produce a product that is more stable, meaning it will keep longer and produce a higher quality. For example, sulfur is often added during the roasting process in order to prevent burning of the meat in the finished product.
One of the most common uses – of what is modified food starch in the manufacturing process for processed foods is in the chemical rendering process. During this process, the starch is dehydrated to separate water and moisture. In order to achieve this result, the starch is passed through an anion exchanger, where the negatively-charged sodium ions are replaced with hydrophobic (water-free) sodium ions. This separation is achieved through what is known as ion exchange, where a pH level is re-established in the de-mineralized salt. After this step, the salt is then passed through a drying bath to remove any remaining moisture.
When looking at the way – in which what is modified food starch can be used, there are two primary ways in which it can be used. The first method involves introducing genetically altered enzymes into the food during the processing process. For instance, in how many types of meat is done, enzymes are introduced either singly or in pairs into the animals in order to help promote growth. In this way, the animals’ bodies will start to break down the native starch in their muscles and other tissues at a faster rate, resulting in better meat.
Of course, this requires that the meat be frozen immediately after the treatment, although further processing can also help speed up this process.
