ABSTRACT
Starch is an important raw material for industrial applications, both for food and nonfood purposes, and the market is increasing. Of particular interest is the use of starch as a nonpetroleum chemical feedstock for the manufacture of biodegrad able polymers, such as “plastics,” and as a noncellulose feedstock in the paper industry. In addition to promising applications outside the food industry, nutrition ally and functionally modified starches have great potential as new and improved food additives. The annual starch production within the EC is approaching 10 million tons (MT) and it grows at 4-5% per year with 80% originating from cereals
and 20% from potato. Of the consumed starch, 45% is used as native or modified starch in foodstuff, polymers, paper, chemicals, boards, and pharmaceuticals, while the rest is used as starch hydrolysates.
