Starch

Starch or amylum is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate" title="Carbohydrate" >carbohydrate</a> consisting of a large number of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose" title="Glucose" >glucose</a> units joined by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycosidic_bond" title="Glycosidic bond" >glycosidic bonds</a>. This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysaccharide" title="Polysaccharide" >polysaccharide</a> is produced by all green <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant" title="Plant" >plants</a> as an energy store. It is the most common carbohydrate in the human diet and is contained in large amounts in such <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staple_food" title="Staple food" >staple foods</a> as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato" title="Potato" >potatoes</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat" title="Wheat" >wheat</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize" title="Maize" >maize</a> (corn), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice" title="Rice" >rice</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava" title="Cassava" >cassava</a>.

Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or alcohol. It consists of two types of molecules: the linear and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix" title="Helix" >helical</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylose" title="Amylose" >amylose</a> and the branched <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylopectin" title="Amylopectin" >amylopectin</a>. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25% amylose and 75 to 80% amylopectin by weight.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch#cite_note-0" >[1]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen" title="Glycogen" >Glycogen</a>, the glucose store of animals, is a more branched version of amylopectin.

Starch is processed to produce many of the sugars in processed foods. Dissolving starch in warm water gives <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatpaste" title="Wheatpaste" >wheatpaste</a>, which can be used as a thickening, stiffening or gluing agent. The biggest industrial non-food use of starch is as adhesive in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papermaking" title="Papermaking" >papermaking</a> process.

As an additive for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_processing" title="Food processing" >food processing</a>, food starches are typically used as thickeners and stabilizers in foods such as puddings, custards, soups, sauces, gravies, pie fillings, and salad dressings, and to make noodles and pastas.

Gummed sweets such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_bean" title="Jelly bean" >jelly beans</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_gum" title="Wine gum" >wine gums</a> are not manufactured using a mold in the conventional sense. A tray is filled with native starch and leveled. A positive mold is then pressed into the starch leaving an impression of 1000 or so jelly beans. The jelly mix is then poured into the impressions and put into a stove to set. This method greatly reduces the number of molds that must be manufactured.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch" title="Resistant starch" >Resistant starch</a> is starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine of healthy individuals. High amylose starch from corn has a higher gelatinization temperature than other types of starch and retains its resistant starch content through baking, mild <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_extrusion" title="Food extrusion" >extrusion</a> and other food processing techniques.

It is used as an insoluble <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber" title="Dietary fiber" >dietary fiber</a> in processed foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, pretzels and other low moisture foods.

It is also utilized as a dietary supplement for its health benefits.

Published studies have shown that Type 2 resistant corn helps to improve insulin sensitivity,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch#cite_note-17" >[18]</a> increases satiety<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch#cite_note-18" >[19]</a> and improves markers of colonic function.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch#cite_note-19" >[20]</a> It has been suggested that resistant starch contributes to the health benefits of intact whole grains.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch#cite_note-20" >[21]</a>

In the pharmaceutical industry, starch is also used as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excipient" title="Excipient" >excipient</a>, as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_(pharmacy)" title="Tablet (pharmacy)" >tablet</a> disintegrant or as binder.