Cereal starch production for food applications

Starch is classified as one of the three polysaccharides widely distributed in nature along with cellulose and chitin. Starch has diverse applications in the food industry, particularly as a thickening agent and for water retention; therefore there is an increasing demand for starch. Maize is the main source used for starch isolation, followed by potato, wheat, rice, and cassava. Cereal starches (maize, rice, and wheat) are used as ingredients in foods in both native and modified conditions. Starch isolation is achieved using wet and dry milling, in which diverse steps as sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation are involved. In this chapter, the isolation and modification of cereal starches are described, along with their use in the food industry.