Carrier Starch/Super Starch: New Cargill High-loading Starrier Starch

Known for their assortment of food texturizing and flavoring ingredients, Cargill "casts a star" in the food industry today.

Starrier Starch, is a milled native maize starch that is pre-gelatinized, and has a unique flake-shaped particle structure that is pending patent approval.

It's derived from "identity-preserved, non-GMO maize," plus it's a clean label product... can we say, "bonus points!" Starrier can be declared simply as starch, maize starch, or corn flour.

Most importantly, it has a loading capacity upwards of 60%.

So, why does that make it so great?

Starrier starch can convert liquids, liquid flavorings, and oils into free-flowing, easy handling, dry powders.

You may be thinking, "so can salt and maltodextrin."

Starrier Starch makes improvements over these conventional products with significantly enhanced absorption capacity and neutral flavor.

Absorption capacity (a.k.a. loading capacity), refers to the amount of liquid that can be absorbed onto the surface of the carrier (material that absorbs the liquid) when converting liquids and oils into dry-powders.

Cargill's starch has a loading capacity of up to 60% before it starts to get sticky, versus 10% for salt and maltodextrin. Hence, less is needed for a better result.

This property alone eliminates the need for:

1. expensive and complex drying processes (like spray-drying)
2. conventional plating methods (depositing a liquid on a solid carrier material)

These techniques are required when loading capacities exceed 10% for products with intense flavor requirements.

And, the adverse effects that accompany spray drying and plating, such as heat degredation and flavor changes, are eliminated. Ingredients that are volatile at higher temperatures won't be subject to the associated temperature changes.

The unique flake-like shape of the starch particles accounts for the increased loading capacity. This structure-activity-relationship (how the structure/shape affects the way it works) enables easy handling and cost-savings to food science and manufacturing.

Despite being a more expensive product by volume compared to salt and maltodextrin, there should be real cost savings for manufacturers: Less product is needed by percent to achieve the same result, accompanied by reduced energy consumption and lower energy costs.

Mike Jones, EMEA category manager for convenience, Cargill Texturizing Solutions, said:

"This is a convenient and cost-effective solution for flavour houses as well as for functional foods producers. Starrier starch helps turn oils and liquid flavours into manageable and user-friendly powders, without damaging delicate and complex final tastes. Upon eating, flavours carried by Starrier starch are rapidly released, meaning a satisfying experience for the consumer, as well as the manufacturer."

Certainly, it'll take some time before the food industry incorporates this new ingredient into an approved food formulation launched into the consumer market.

But, you can bet food scientists will be ordering small batches, in the meantime, for development purposes.