Corn Starch
<p><b >Corn starch</b>, <b >cornstarch</b>, <b >cornflour</b> or <b >maize starch</b> is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch" title="Starch" >starch</a> of the corn (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize" title="Maize" >maize</a>) grain obtained from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosperm" title="Endosperm" >endosperm</a> of the corn <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed" title="Seed" >kernel</a>.</p>
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Corn starch is used as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thickening_agent" title="Thickening agent" >thickening agent</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soup" title="Soup" >soups</a> and liquid-based foods, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauce" title="Sauce" >sauces</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravy" title="Gravy" >gravies</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custard" title="Custard" >custards</a> by mixing it with a cold liquid to form a paste or slurry. It is sometimes preferred over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour" title="Flour" >flour</a> because it forms a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translucent" title="Translucent" class="mw-redirect" >translucent</a> mixture, rather than an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opacity_(optics)" title="Opacity (optics)" >opaque</a> one. As the starch is heated, the molecular chains unravel, allowing them to collide with other starch chains to form a mesh, thickening the liquid (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch_gelatinization" title="Starch gelatinization" >Starch gelatinization</a>).</p>
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It is usually included as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticaking_agent" title="Anticaking agent" >anticaking agent</a> in powdered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar" title="Sugar" >sugar</a> (10X or<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdered_sugar" title="Powdered sugar" >confectioner's sugar</a>). For this reason, recipes calling for powdered sugar often call for at least light cooking to remove the raw corn starch taste. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_powder" title="Baby powder" >Baby powder</a> often uses cornstarch.<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>
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Corn starch, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Newtonian_fluid#Oobleck" title="Non-Newtonian fluid" >certain scientific experiments</a>, can be used as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Newtonian_fluid" title="Non-Newtonian fluid" >non-Newtonian fluid</a>.
A common substitute is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrowroot" title="Arrowroot" >arrowroot</a>, which replaces corn starch on a 1:1 ratio.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_starch#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup></p>
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Manufacture
The corn is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steep_(technique)" title="Steep (technique)" class="mw-redirect" >steeped</a> for 30 to 48 hours, which ferments it slightly. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal_germ" title="Cereal germ" >germ</a> is separated from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosperm" title="Endosperm" >endosperm</a> and those two components are ground separately (still soaked). Next the starch is removed from each by washing. The starch is separated from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_steep_liquor" title="Corn steep liquor" >corn steep liquor</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal_germ" title="Cereal germ" >cereal germ</a>, the fibers and the
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_gluten_meal" title="Corn gluten meal" >corn gluten</a> mostly in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocyclone" title="Hydrocyclone" >hydrocyclones</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifuge" title="Centrifuge" >centrifuges</a>, and then dried. (The residue from every stage is used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fodder" title="Fodder" >animal feed</a> and to make <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_oil" title="Corn oil" >corn oil</a> or other applications.) This process is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_milling" title="Wet milling" class="mw-redirect" >wet milling</a>. Finally, the starch may be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modified_starch" title="Modified starch" >modified</a> for specific purposes.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_starch#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup>
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