STARCH and its types and properties.
The word "starch" comes from the German kraftmehl, which means "strong flour". Indeed, this white, mealy, tasteless dusty powder most resembles flour, only if you squeeze it with your fingers, it squeaks characteristicly. Starch dissolves well in cold water and does not dissolve in alcohols. And if you fill it with hot water, it begins to shrink into lumps. The point is that starch is deposited in plant cells in the form of "grains". To obtain, say, potato starch, "grains" are washed out with water, most often spring water. And if the water is hot, they break down and the starch turns into a paste that can only be used to glue wallpaper. By the way, starch comes not only from potatoes, but also from corn, rice, wheat, cassava, soybeans. The structure of starch grains is crystalline, finely porous.
At normal temperatures, starches do not dissolve in water, and when heated, they swell, forming a viscous colloidal solution, which, when cooled, turns into a "paste".
There are wheat, potato, corn, rice, soy, cassava, etc.
Starch is one of the most versatile raw materials in the food industry. The application part exploits its natural ability to create gels and thickeners. In the food industry and pharmacology, starch is used to give products the appropriate texture, appearance (state), moisture, consistency and stability during storage. In the culinary and confectionery business, potato, wheat and corn starch are most often used. It is used to thicken jelly, fruit cereals (jelly, in which juice is brewed together with fruit), as well as an additive to noodles (a third or a quarter in relation to wheat flour), confectionery - cookies, cakes, Turkish delight. The food industry is one of the largest consumers of starch and starch products. In addition, large amounts of starch are sold as final products for home use.
Starches from cassava (cassava), sago, and other tropical sources were widely used before World War II, but their consumption declined due to the disruption of world trade. Waxy maize starch has been tried to replace conventional non-cereal starches. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in cassava starch.
In combination with other flour, starch increases the fragility and stiffness of the products.
Starch has a high water binding capacity. When baking bread, starch binds up to 80% of the moisture in the dough.
Wheat starch
In the process of making bread, starch performs the following functions:
• is a source of fermentable carbohydrates in the dough, undergoing hydrolysis under the action of amylolytic enzymes (α- and β-amylases);
• absorbs water during kneading, participating in the formation of the dough;
• gelatinizes during baking, absorbing water and participating in the formation of bread crumb;
• is responsible for the staleness of bread during storage.
The process of swelling starch grains in hot water is called gelatinization. At the same time, starch grains increase in volume, become looser and are easily amenable to the action of amylolytic enzymes. Wheat starch gelatinizes at a temperature of 62 - 65 ° C, rye - 50 - 55 ° C.
The starch condition of the flour affects the properties of the dough and the quality of the bread.The size and integrity of starch grains affect the consistency of the dough, its water absorption capacity and the sugar content in it. Small and damaged starch grains are able to bind moisture in the dough more, they are easily amenable to the action of enzymes during the dough preparation process than large and dense grains.
The structure of starch grains is crystalline, finely porous. Starch has a high water binding capacity. When baking bread, starch binds up to 80% of the moisture in the dough. During storage of bread, starch paste undergoes aging (syneresis), which is the main cause of starchy bread.
Rice starch
Rice starch makes up approximately 90% of the dry matter of the milled grain. Rice starch is used as a filler in the production of sauces, syrups and some desserts.
Potato starch.
The most popular in Russia is potato starch, or, as it is also called, "potato flour". The production of jelly, boiled sausages, sausages and wieners cannot do without it, it is used to thicken soups and gravies, it is added to the cream so that it does not" spread. "By the way, starch does not at all improve the taste of the product, its use is a forced production necessity And if, for example, you see starch in ready-made sauces, in particular mayonnaise, know that this is not the best indicator.
Potato starch forms a fairly transparent mass. It is best suited for fruit jelly. And in Southeast Asia, it is used in hot dishes of meat, fish, vegetables and poultry. As you know, the Chinese often breaded meat in starch, mixing it with flour and spices.
Ilya Lazerson, President of the St. Petersburg College of Chefs, said that starch batter, in fact, does not need to be cooked separately - it is enough to season the chicken wings (with incised skin) with spices, then add starch to the container with them, pour in the protein and mix everything intensively ... For 1 kg of wings, you will need approximately 3 tbsp. l. starch and 2 proteins (not less). Thanks to this batter, a special crispy crust is obtained. And it is not only suitable for poultry - it can be used for breading fish, cheese, pork and vegetables. In addition, starch keeps all the juices inside and the product remains tender and juicy.
Together with other grain flours, especially wheat flour, starch is added to various types of dough. In a biscuit, it removes excess moisture, and the baked goods are lighter and more airy. Just keep in mind: if potato starch is added to the dough, it must be kneaded in milk or fermented milk products, such as sour cream. And do not forget about flavorings, because starch gives the product a fresh, inexpressive taste.
How starch works in baked goods, casseroles
In the composition of ordinary wheat flour, starch is also necessarily present, (flour wheat starch), which has all the properties described above. But I would say that flour is heavier and thicker when baking curds. Place on the palm of your hand and rub flour, and then potato starch, and compare the sensations. Starch cards. more airy, lighter, imperceptible, scatters into dust, that's also in the test it is the same. Dilute flour and starch with water (in equal proportions) and compare - flour is a thick paste, (the process of swelling of wheat starch grains in hot water is called gelatinization), and starch is cards. - light turbid suspension, which thickens only when heated and will still be lighter. Here is also flour and cards. starch also act in the curd. Flour becomes dough, and cards. starch becomes a thick jelly, a kind of gelatin and does not fall off. Therefore, cards. starch is preferable, it gives airiness to the dough and at the same time binds liquid.
Sago grains
Sometimes in the finished product you can find "sago grain "... They also have to do with starch. Sago grains are made from potato flour. Thanks to these grains, the product is more porous.They are also used in sausages and meat rolls, in sauces and soups, including instant soups, in the production of dietary protein-free cereals.
Modified potato starch.
However, more often than sago grains, different "E" s can be seen among other ingredients. E1404, E1412, E1414, E1420, E1422 and E1451 are variations of modified potato starch. They are found in sauces and dressings, ketchups, margarine, fruit fillings, and are added to baby food and canned meats. Modified starch is added to mayonnaise, butter and margarine in order to reduce fat content. Moreover, it improves the consistency of the product and absorbs significantly more water than normal.
Modified potato starches - made on the basis of "Extra" potato starch. In the production of these products, such substances as acetic acid anhydride, adipic acid anhydride, sodium trimetaphosphoric acid, potassium permanganate were used. These substances change and / or improve the natural properties of the starch. Modified starches are widely used in various industries.
Potato flakes and pellets.
Potato flakes and pellets - made from specially grown potato varieties. Granules are a fine powder from pale yellow to cream in color. This product binds water at temperatures above 55? C. Flakes come in various sizes, from a few nanometers to 3-5 millimeters, depending on the needs of the customer. The color of the flakes is identical to the color of the granules. This product effectively binds water at room temperature. They are used in the production of instant products, semi-finished products, chips.
Potato fiber
Potatoes are 75% water, 19% starch, 6% fiber, mineral salts and protein. After extracting starch and protein from potatoes, fiber remains with excellent functional properties.
Corn starch
The most delicate is corn starch. It gives a more turbid "gel" than potato. If you cook jelly with it, then milk is best.
Tapioca (cassava) starch
The Portuguese word tapioca (in the language of the Indians - tupi-guarani) is cassava sago, obtained from the tubers of a tropical plant - cassava.
Manioc (Manihok utilissima) is a plant from the Euphorbiaceae family that grows in South America and is a shrub 2 to 3 meters high. The product is obtained from the starch-rich roots cassava, which is used in dietary nutrition, as well as for the production of starch.
The purest, without impurities, is tapioca starch, which is obtained from cassava tubers. Its paste is more viscous than corn paste. This starch is used very actively - however, only in the food industry: as a thickener in ready-made soups, sauces and gravies, as well as a binder in meat production.
Tapioca starch is very similar in properties to potato starch and is used in the same industries. However, according to some indicators, it surpasses potato starch: due to the lower moisture content (by 6-7%), the starch content in the marketable mass is higher, tapioca starch has a lower ash content and therefore is considered the purest starch. The viscosity of its paste is higher than that of cereal starches such as corn, wheat. This starch has a very wide range of applications as a thickener, binding agent, texturizer, or as an anti-lumping agent. Its high viscosity and long texture make it suitable for use as a main thickener in soups, sauces and gravies, and its low gelling temperature makes it suitable for soups and instant noodles, and as a binder in meat production. Tapioca starch shows good results in extruded products.In the production of tapioca starch, genetically modified raw materials are not used.
Tapioca starch adequately replaces corn starch in all possible areas of its application. Depending on the concentration used, tapioca starch forms both a gel and a paste.
