What is starch made from? What are the common classifications?

In our daily life, we often encounter starch. For example, when deep-frying crispy pork, stir-frying shredded pork, or thickening sauces, a small amount of starch needs to be added so that the dishes taste crispier, more refreshing, and more tender and smooth. But in fact, what we usually use for thickening is only one kind of starch. So what is starch made from? What classifications are there? Let's take a look together below.

1. What is starch made from?

Starch (thickening powder) is formed by the polymerization of glucose molecules and is the most common storage form of carbohydrates in cells. Besides being eaten, it is used industrially to make dextrin, maltose, glucose, alcohol, etc., and is also used in preparing printing paste, sizing textiles, gluing paper, and pressing medicinal tablets.

2. Classifications of starch

1. Mung bean starch

Mung bean starch is the best starch for thickening. Its characteristics are strong viscosity, low water absorption, and a white and glossy color. The most commonly seen product on the market is mung bean vermicelli, which is a food ingredient made using mung bean starch as the raw material.

2. Potato starch

Potato starch is the most common starch on the market. What we generally use is potato starch, and this is also the thickening starch with the most stable quality. When using this starch to thicken dishes, the sauce can remain in its original state for a long time and is not easily hydrated. Its characteristics are strong viscosity, fine texture, and a white color, and its glossiness is better than that of mung bean starch.

3. Wheat starch

Wheat starch is also called chen mian or chen fen. Here everyone needs to clearly distinguish wheat starch from wheat flour. Wheat starch is a product of refined processing of wheat flour. It is made by washing dough with water to remove gluten, then allowing the water used to wash out the gluten to settle so it can be extracted. Its characteristics are a white color and a fine, smooth wrapper. The noodles and pastries made from it become transparent. Examples include the crystal dumplings and rice noodle rolls we usually eat.

4. Corn starch

Corn starch is the starch with the largest supply on the market, and its viscosity is not as good as potato starch. In pasta and flour foods, it is mainly used as a dusting flour. Corn starch is generally used as an industrial raw material, mainly for alcohol production.

5. Sweet potato starch

Sweet potato starch is also called sweet potato flour. Its characteristics are strong water absorption, but poor viscosity and no gloss. It is made by processing fresh sweet potatoes. In the area of my hometown, this starch is mainly used to produce sweet potato sheets.

6. Kudzu starch

Kudzu starch is produced using the rhizome of kudzu vine as the raw material. Kudzu starch is also the most expensive kind of starch among all starches and has very good health benefits. In my hometown, kudzu powder is mainly used to make soup. It is said that kudzu starch has a sobering effect. In recent years, kudzu cultivation has been promoted on a large scale in our country, and perhaps this is because everyone has seen this health benefit of kudzu starch.

7. Cassava starch

Cassava starch is also a kind of starch with relatively large output in our country, and its main production area is located in Guangxi. Its characteristic is strong viscosity, but its color is the same as sweet potato starch. Flour foods made from cassava starch are smooth and chewy. I usually use it to make crystal dumplings. Although its color is not as pretty as crystal dumplings made from potato starch, its taste is better than that taste.

8. Broad bean starch

Broad bean starch is made by processing broad beans, and its characteristics are similar to mung bean starch. But some groups of people should not eat broad bean starch.

The above is an introduction to starch. There are many classifications of starch, so when buying, everyone must distinguish them clearly. Starch is mainly a polysaccharide extracted from potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes. It is generally in powder form, and a small amount may appear as large granules. Starch is a relatively common name, and in other places it is sometimes also called raw powder.

For wonderful pictures and texts and popular comments about starch, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Network. You are welcome to read.