The Markets - Food

Bakery products

Many bakery products including bread, depend for their elasticity, shape and rising characteristics on wheat gluten, a key co-product of the starch industry. Other starch derivatives, such as physically and chemically modified starches and glucose are used as well, for example for cake and biscuit fillings.

Beverages

The sweetness, and even certain nutritional qualities of soft drinks, fruit drinks, brewing and alcoholic beverages are often derived from starch products, for example glucose and fructose syrups. This is also true for the colour consistency of cola, beer and even whisky and cognac, all of which incorporate small amounts of starch-derived caramel colour.

 

 

 

Confectionery and chocolates

The sparkle of boiled sweets, the chewiness of toffees, the brittleness of chewing gum coatings, the energy of dextrose-based confectionery, tooth-friendly sugar-free confectionery - all are at least in part the result of carefully tailored made starch products.

Desserts and dairy products

The sweetness, various textures, stiffness, viscosity, stability and even flavour and appearance of a very broad range of desserts and dairy products, including custard creams, puddings, flans and ice creams are all obtained with the help of starch products. Starch products also make the production of cholesterol-reduced butter possible by encapsulating the cholesterol and enabling it to be extracted from the milk products.

 

 

Processed Foods

Jam, jellies and fruit preserves

Glucose syrup inhibits sugar crystallisation, improves taste and consistency and enhances the spreadability and flavour of jams, jellies and food preserves.

It also enables producers to reach optimal sweetness levels, and enhances fruit flavours.

Deep-frozen foods

Frozen fruits, especially strawberries are too sweet when frozen in concentrated sugar solutions. Fruits frozen in glucose syrups have improved thawing characteristics. On the other hand, glucose syrups promote film build up and are therefore ideal for increasing the storage life of deep-frozen fish products. Starch products prevent rancidity, oxidation and colour changes in deep-frozen foods.

Instant soups and sauces

The thickening properties of native and modified starches are used in canned, aseptic packaged and instant soups, and in the gravy and sauces for canned and frozen meat preparations. Modified starches together with glucose are also used in ketchup, sauces and mayonnaise to regulate viscosity and as a sweetener.

Meat and fish products

The production of dry sausages, frankfurters, salamis, brine cured hams, surimi, all require the use of starch products. They enhance flavour, reduce nitrate and nitrite levels, improve colour and reduce water retention. Also, starch products prevent damage to the fish protein when surimi is deep-frozen.