ABSTRACT
Native starches, obtained by the various wet-milling processes described in Chapter 8, are industrially transformed by physicochemical and enzymatic processes into modified or functional starches or an array of syrups with different degrees of sweetness. Approximately 285 million bushels of native and modified starches were produced in the United States in the year 2006 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service 2009). Modified starches acquire specific functional properties for special applications in the food industry. They are widely used as thickeners in the canning industry, as base for batters and breadings (Chapter 10), as emulsifiers, and as adhesives or glues in non-food-related industries.
