Pregelatinized starch is a modified starch that is easy to process, easy to use, and versatile. It has good fluidity and solubility, and can be used as a thickener, binder, suspending agent and emulsifier, etc., and is widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics, pesticides and building materials. The biggest feature of pregelatinized starch is that it has a high viscosity, which can replace or partially replace traditional natural starch, reduce production costs, and improve product quality and stability.
The production process of pregelatinized starch includes steps such as slurrying, pregelatinization, drying and crushing. Slurry mixing is to mix starch and water in a certain proportion and stir evenly to form starch milk. Pregelatinization is to heat the starch milk above the gelatinization temperature, so that the starch granules absorb water and expand, break up, and form a viscous starch paste. Drying is the evaporation of the water in the starch paste, making the starch paste dry. Crushing is the crushing of dried starch paste into fine particles for easy packaging and transportation.
The viscosity of pregelatinized starch is one of the important indicators to measure its quality. The viscosity directly affects the quality and use of the product. Pregelatinized starch with high viscosity can increase the consistency and adhesion of the product, improve the stability and shape retention of the product, and reduce the loss and inconvenience of the product during production, transportation and use. Therefore, viscosity is one of the important process parameters that must be controlled in the production of pregelatinized starch.
The production of pregelatinized starch with high viscosity requires the selection of appropriate raw materials and process parameters to ensure the stability and consistency of viscosity. Generally speaking, high-quality starch raw materials should be selected in production, such as corn starch or tapioca starch with high amylopectin content. At the same time, the appropriate process parameters such as slurry concentration, gelatinization temperature and time should be selected according to the use and requirements of the product. In the production process, attention should also be paid to prevent the starch granules from moisture, oxidation or pollution, so as to ensure the integrity and stability of the starch granules.
In addition to viscosity, other performance indicators of pregelatinized starch include transparency, whiteness, water solubility, etc. Pregelatinized starch with high transparency can increase the transparency and aesthetics of the product; Pregelatinized starch with high whiteness can improve the color and quality of the product; Pregelatinized starch with good water solubility can speed up the dissolution of the product and improve the uniformity of the product. These performance indicators are also important factors to consider in the production of pregelatinized starch.
In practical applications, highly viscous pregelatinized starches can be used alone or in combination with other food additives to achieve a variety of different effects. For example, when making pastries, moon cakes and other foods, adding an appropriate amount of pregelatinized starch can improve the elasticity and taste of the product; When making desserts such as jelly and pudding, adding an appropriate amount of pregelatinized starch can improve the consistency and stability of the product; When making meat products, fish balls and other foods, adding an appropriate amount of pregelatinized starch can improve the adhesion and shape retention of the product.
In conclusion, pregelatinized starch with high viscosity, as an important modified starch, has a wide range of application prospects and market demand. With the continuous development of the food industry and the improvement of people's requirements for food quality, the application field of pregelatinized starch will be further expanded, and its production technology and performance indicators will continue to improve and perfect.