Manufacturing of Starch from Rice, Corn, Potato, and Wheat and Its Industrial Applications

Starch is a stored carbohydrate in plants that exists in nature abundantly. Most of the plant food is composed of starch. It is added to a large number of synthesized food products. The end products obtained from them have enhanced flavor and texture. Different plants showed different physicochemical and functional characteristics by means of microcrystalline structures and morphologic properties. Starch is an important constituent of cereals. About ¾ dry weight of mature grain consists of starch and is an important part of crops. In plants and animals, it is used as a source of energy and it also produces many commercial goods. The procedure used to extract starch relies on the source of starch. There are abundant sources of starch and such sources are used in industry methods. Starch is commercially obtained from wheat, rice, potato, and corn. Corn is a vital starch source all over the world and almost 85% of starches are manufactured from corn. Steeping and milling processes are used for the production of corn starch. Rice is a primary food. As compared to other starches, rice starch is less used due to the manufacturing, which is very costly. Both traditional and mechanical methods are present for manufacturing rice starch. Potato is a very valued vegetable crop as it has many uses in new or handled food varieties. The separation of starch is done by culling surplus potatoes. Though, for starch production specific cultivars are established. Wheat starch is an important form of starch in different parts of the world and has several uses in food and other products. Wheat starch is prepared by different processes like conservative, hydrocyclone, and high-pressure disintegration. Starch has several commercial uses. In food industry, it is utilized as a dusting, gelling, and thickening agent, as a water absorbent and as it offers more than 80% of calories used up by humans daily, it acts as a nutrient.