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Modified Starch: This is Behind the Additive

Modified starch is an additive that is subject to authorization and is based on ordinary food starch. In this article you will find out exactly what modified starch is, how the additive is used and whether you should avoid it.

Additives E1404 to E1450

Modified starch is not a single additive: A total of eleven different variants of modified starch can be found in the list of food additives (E number list). However, the substances with the E numbers from E1404 to E1450 all have one thing in common: They are based on chemically modified cornstarch.

Ordinary starch mostly comes from potatoes, corn or wheat. In this form you will find the substance as a “starch” on the list of ingredients. Even if starch is modified physically (by heat or pressure) or enzymatically, it is still considered an ingredient according to the Bavarian Consumer Advice Center – and is therefore listed as “starch”. However, as soon as the substance has been chemically modified, it is, according to the definition, an additive with an E number that is subject to authorization. In the list of ingredients you will then find the additive as “modified starch”. Background: The chemical modification profoundly changes the structure of the substance.

Depending on the process, the starch is chemically modified once or several times. In addition to physical or enzymatic modification, according to the BVL, the starch is treated with acid or alkali solution, oxidized or bleached, among other things.

Use: Modified starch in food

Normal cornstarch and modified starches are used in the food industry primarily as binding agents: the substances can be used to make sauces, puddings and soups creamier, but also to hold finished products such as French fries together. Modified starches can also be found in dressings, mayonnaise, instant products, frozen products and dairy products.

Compared to conventional starch, modified starch is less sensitive to cold, heat and acid and/or swells better.

These properties are used primarily for finished products that are deep-frozen or heated in the microwave. Thanks to the modified starch, the consistency of the products does not change even when cooking or freezing.

Modified Strength: Buying Tips and Advice

In general, we recommend using natural, unprocessed foods as often as possible instead of industrially processed products. This is not only more environmentally friendly, but also healthier. By cooking with natural foods as often as possible instead of eating ready-made products, you have full control over all the ingredients. For this reason, we generally advise against products that contain additives such as modified starch. Tip: Follow the ten rules for a balanced diet.

In addition, you should always use organic food whenever possible. Controlled organic farming is not only more environmentally friendly, but also dispenses with chemical-synthetic pesticides. In addition, fewer additives are permitted for processed organic foods. If you pay attention to an organic seal when buying, you automatically avoid modified starch, because according to the Bavarian consumer advice center, this is not allowed in organic food.

That being said, food manufacturers must always list modified starches as an additive on the ingredients list. How to read the food ingredient list correctly is explained in another article.

From a health point of view, modified starch is no different from ordinary cornstarch because the body processes it in the same way. The additive itself is therefore less of a concern than the product in which it is used: Such products are mostly highly processed foods with many questionable ingredients such as a lot of salt or sugar, flavorings and other additives. In addition, modified starch is based in part on genetically modified corn.

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Cooking Tips

Potato Starch: Uses, Properties, Substitutes and More

Potato starch is mainly used as a binding agent in numerous dishes. Here you can learn more about their properties, possible uses and alternatives.

Potato starch has the property of being able to bind water particularly well. That is why they are mainly used to thicken sauces and soups. The white powder is tasteless and odorless and is therefore only used to improve the consistency of food. Because it’s made only from potatoes, potato starch is gluten-free and suitable for vegan diets.

Potato starch: use

In order for potato starch to bind water, you have to heat it. However, the powder binds liquids at lower temperatures than other binders. It is therefore sufficient if you only briefly heat the mixture to be thickened or let it simmer gently.

You can buy potato starch at most supermarkets. It is also used in many finished products in the food industry. Here, too, it serves as a stabilizing binder and carrier. For example, you can also find the strength in:

pasta
bread and buns
cakes, biscuits and other baked goods
Sweets
canned vegetables
meat products
Ready mixes for cakes, sauces, etc.

Potato starch is also used in animal feed.

Potato Starch: Production and Buying Tips

For the production of potato starch, either starch potatoes, which have a high starch content, are used in a targeted manner. Or you get the starch as a by-product in processes in which potatoes are used for other products (such as french fries or crisps).

In both cases, you first clean the potatoes (or leftover potatoes) and then grate them until they become mashed. The remains of the hard potato skins are then removed. Machines now press the mash through a sieve so that the water and potato starch are separated from the rest of the tubers. In the next step, a steam device absorbs the amniotic fluid from the starch. Finally, the starch is dried again until the fine, white powder is formed.

When buying potato starch, you should look for organic goods if possible. In this way you ensure, among other things, that farmers have not used any chemical-synthetic pesticides when growing potatoes. Since potatoes are grown in Germany, you can easily get the starch from regional cultivation.

Storage tips

In order to ensure the longest possible shelf life, you should observe a few tips when storing potato starch:

Store them dry and airtight in a dark place (e.g. in the pantry or in the basement).
It is best to pour the starch into a sealable container after you have opened it. This is how you protect them from flour moths.
Temperatures should not exceed 20 degrees Celsius if possible.
Even odor-intensive products close to the starch can impair their quality: the actually odorless powder tends to absorb the odors of other foods.

How healthy is potato starch?

Potato starch contains about 336 calories per 100 grams. It consists of 83 percent carbohydrates and 15 percent water. Fat and proteins are only contained in infinitesimally small amounts. Vitamins are also hardly represented. The white powder provides significant amounts of iron, calcium and potassium per 100 grams. However, since we use potato starch in small portions, it hardly contributes to covering our daily needs.

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Cooking Tips

Wheat Starch: What It’s Good for and Who Shouldn’t Use It

Wheat starch is a natural binding agent that you can use in different ways in the kitchen and around the house. Learn more about Strength’s traits and usage here.

As the name suggests, wheat starch consists exclusively of wheat. For production, the grain is ground and broken down into its individual components. Starch makes up about half of a grain of wheat. Commercial starch, on the other hand, consists mainly of corn starch and only parts of wheat and possibly also potato starch.

Wheat starch in the kitchen

Wheat starch consists of more than 85 percent carbohydrates. Water makes up about twelve percent. Proteins and fat are only present in minimal proportions. Starch contains about 345 calories per 100 grams. Wheat starch contains hardly any vitamins and other micronutrients.

Wheat starch is odorless and tasteless. That’s why you can use the fine, white powder for a variety of sweet and savory dishes. In the kitchen, wheat starch is mainly used as a binding and thickening agent, for example for sauces, soups or puddings. The starch gives cakes and other baked goods their stability. It is important that you heat the starch and not just mix it cold. Only then can it unfold its binding properties.

Note: People who suffer from gluten intolerance (celiac disease) should not eat wheat starch. Finally, it is high in gluten. Those affected can fall back on pure corn starch or potato starch. Locust bean gum or guar gum are also good gluten-free alternatives.

Wheat starch in the home

The binding and stabilizing properties of starch are not only useful in the kitchen. You can also use wheat starch to make glue or porcelain substitutes, for example. Starch is also recommended to fight sweat and fat. You can use them as an ingredient for homemade deodorants and dry shampoos.

You can also use wheat starch mixed with a little water as a natural stain remover. To do this, put the starch-water mixture on the stain, let it dry and then brush it off again with a rough brush.

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Food

Resistant Starch: Pasta, Potatoes and Rice are Good for the Intestines

Resistant starch can benefit your gut health. In this article, we explain what’s behind it and how you can incorporate resistant starch into your diet.

Resistant starch is a type of dietary fiber. Resistant starch has a special structure that prevents the small intestine from absorbing it. It ends up undigested in our large intestine, where it is broken down by lactic acid bacteria. Resistant starch serves as food for the intestinal bacteria, which improves intestinal health and bowel movements.

In the following we will show you how resistant starch is created and works. We also introduce you to foods and recipe ideas that you can use to integrate resistant starch into your diet.

This is how resistant starch is created

Starch is particularly found in foods such as potatoes, rice, cereals and cereal products such as pasta or bread. Resistant starch is formed when these starchy foods are boiled or cooked and then allowed to cool. The chemical structure of the starch changes as a result of the cooling process, making it no longer digestible for us humans. Strength has become resistant strength. Even reheating the cooled food does not destroy the resistant starch.

Legumes, unripe bananas and oatmeal are particularly rich in resistant starch. In unripe bananas, the resistant starch is based on a specific arrangement of the starch molecules and is therefore not the result of a heating and cooling process.

How does resistant starch affect your body?

In the colon, beneficial gut bacteria ferment resistant starch. This not only promotes intestinal health, but also has other positive effects:

  • The breakdown products of the resistant starch by the intestinal bacteria can counteract inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
  • They can have cancer-preventive properties within a balanced diet.
  • They are associated with blood sugar regulating properties.
  • They may also have a positive effect on blood lipid levels.

Recipes that contain resistant starch

With these recipes, you can incorporate resistant starch into your diet. It is important that the starchy ingredients can be completely cooled and converted. This takes between twelve and 24 hours.

Sweet Potato Salad: Recipe with fresh cauliflower and arugula
Bavarian potato salad with cucumber: a traditional recipe
Mediterranean pasta salad with tomatoes and rocket
Coconut Rice Pudding: An Easy Vegan Recipe
Bake spelled bread yourself: ingredients and recipe
Couscous salad: 3 quick recipes for the oriental classic
Banana bread recipe: The juicy cake in 3 variants
Overnights Oats: Recipes for a quick and healthy breakfast
Make hummus yourself: A simple recipe

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Food

Resistant Starch: These Are its Benefits For a Healthy Diet

Resistant starch has been the subject of increased research since the 1980s and is said to bring some benefits to a healthy diet. Here you can find out what resistant starch is and why it is healthy.

What is Resistant Strength?

Resistant starches (RS) are subspecies of normal cornstarch. Due to their chemical composition, resistant starches are not, or only partially, digested in the small intestine. It therefore has the properties of dietary fiber. Dietary fibers are not digested, but they ensure that your digestion functions smoothly. They also regulate blood sugar levels.

The benefits of resistant starch

Resistant starch enters the large intestine undigested. There it is fermented by bacteria. This process produces a particularly large amount of butyrate, a bacterial metabolite that supports healthy intestinal flora and protects the intestinal wall and its cell walls.

According to some studies, for example by Cummings et al (1996), the consumption of resistant starches has been shown to support intestinal functions and lead to a healthy metabolism.
In addition to the effect on the intestinal flora, resistant starch is also said to help regulate blood sugar levels. According to some studies, it can help keep blood sugar levels low and improve insulin sensitivity.

Which foods contain resistant starch?

There are some foods that naturally contain resistant starch. These include, for example:
whole grain products
bananas
potatoes
legumes
beans
rice
Corn
With a balanced diet, you consume between three and six grams of resistant starch per day. The more processed the foods and the fewer raw fruits and vegetables you eat, the less resistant starch you get from the diet.

However, many studies on the health-promoting effects of resistant starch have been carried out with a daily intake of up to 40 grams of RS per day. Researchers are currently interested in developing processes to add resistant starch to everyday foods.

Special cooking methods to produce resistant starch

According to the BZfE, a study carried out by scientists in Sri Lanka found that the proportion of resistant starch in rice increased tenfold when it was cooked in a certain way.

For this, the rice was cooked with a spoonful of coconut oil for 20 to 25 minutes.
Then the rice should be kept in the refrigerator for twelve hours.
This process converts normal starch into resistant starch. In addition, the calorie content of rice decreases by more than half.
The results of the study suggest that other starchy foods, such as pasta or potatoes, can be manipulated to make them healthier for us through certain cooking methods.

Uses of resistant starch

Scientists and food experts are currently working on the production of foods that contain a lot of resistant starch without special cooking methods. For example, it would be possible to enrich many foods that are actually considered unhealthy with RS, such as:
White bread
breakfast cereals
cookies or cakes.

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Food

Corn Starch: Uses, Specifics, Substitutes, and More

You may be familiar with cornstarch as the main ingredient in custard powder. But the tasteless white powder can do much more than just thicken the pudding. You can find out more here.

What is cornstarch?

Cornstarch is a white powder that is also commonly sold under the name cornstarch. As the name suggests, corn starch can be obtained from corn cobs. To do this, the corn is first placed in a saline solution for several days. It is then finely ground and the cornmeal is passed through a silk fabric. This allows the bran and other flour components to be filtered out. Starch is not soluble in water, so over time it settles to the bottom of the remaining starch-water mixture. The excess water is then drained off and the starch dried.

Cornstarch is just one of many forms of starch. Starch powder can be obtained from all plants with a high proportion of starch. In addition to corn starch, potato, wheat and rice starch are widely used. All are tasteless white powders that are similar to use.

The only difference between the different forms of starch is their composition. Starch is a mixture of two carbohydrates, amylopectin and amylose. Corn starch is characterized by a comparatively high amylose content of 27 percent. Amylose is less able to bind and hold water than amylopectin. Because of this, pastries made with cornstarch tend to stale faster than those made with tapioca or potato starch.

How to use cornstarch in the kitchen

You can use cornstarch in a variety of ways in the kitchen. Puddings and creams can be made with cornstarch, since starch forms a firm gel after cooling. Supermarket custard powders typically consist of cornstarch mixed with sugar, salt, and flavorings. You can also easily make your own pudding at home by thickening gently simmering milk with cornstarch and seasoning to your liking. In the refrigerator, the thick sauce then thickens into a firm pudding.

But cornstarch is not only suitable for desserts: You can also use it to thicken sauces. To do this, mix the corn starch with a little water and then stir the starch water into the gently simmering sauce. Always make sure to add the starch gradually. If you stir in too much cornstarch, your sauce will take on a pasty and gummy consistency.

Cornstarch keeps dumplings in shape and protects them from drying out

Corn starch is also suitable as a binding agent for dumplings and meatballs. The starch binds water and holds the dumpling mass together. The starch molecules in the cooking water or frying fat then gelatinize and form a protective layer through which water can only escape with difficulty. This keeps the dumplings and meatballs juicy and fluffy.

In Asian cuisine, sliced ​​meat is marinated with starch in almost every dish. Sliced ​​​​meat is usually gently pre-cooked or fried in hot oil before frying. As a result, the starch on the surface of the meat becomes gelatinous and the meat remains juicy when it is subsequently fried with the remaining ingredients. Tofu can also be turned in starch before frying so that it becomes particularly crispy.

You can easily replace cornstarch with any other cornstarch. If you are looking for a different binding agent, you can find out in our article on cornstarch substitutes which alternatives are available and how you can use them. The alternatives presented there include psyllium husk, locust bean gum, agar agar and guar gum.

Waste paper can be recycled with the help of cornstarch

Corn starch is also an important raw material for the production of paper and cardboard. Paper contains about 0.15 percent starch. Starch is used as a filler in paper production: it must always be added when working with waste paper. As more and more waste paper is processed, the demand for corn starch continues to rise.

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