The present invention relates to a method for preparing a legume starch with a high content of slowly digestible fraction (SDS), a hydrothermal treatment method characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

1) Preparing a starch milk with a dry matter content of between 30 and 40% by weight, preferably 32% by weight,
2) Heating the starch milk prepared in this way to a temperature 10 to 15° C. lower than its gelatinization temperature,
3) Stirring the starch milk obtained in this way at this temperature for between 45 minutes and 7 hours, preferably between 1 hour and 6 hours,
4) Recovering, filtering and drying the starch milk treated in this way.

Thermoplastic starch materials and methods of making the same are provided. The methods involve mixing a starch material, plasticizer and water in a low-shear mixer under conditions that will result in substantial gelatinization of the starch material. The melt formed within the mixer is discharged into an extruder for final processing. The methods prevent degradation of the starch material thereby resulting in the formation of a thermoplastic starch material having high strength, due at least in part to the preservation of the molecular weight characteristics of the starch, and improved elasticity due the ability to use higher water contents than conventional processes.

Thermoplastic starch materials and methods of making the same are provided. The methods involve mixing a starch material, plasticizer and water in a low-shear mixer under conditions that will result in substantial gelatinization of the starch material. The melt formed within the mixer is discharged into an extruder for final processing. The methods prevent degradation of the starch material thereby resulting in the formation of a thermoplastic starch material having high strength, due at least in part to the preservation of the molecular weight characteristics of the starch, and improved elasticity due the ability to use higher water contents than conventional processes.

The present invention provides process for treating crop kernels, comprising the steps of a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels; b) grinding the soaked kernels; c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of an effective amount of an enzyme composition comprising: i) a protease, and ii) a cellulolytic composition, wherein step c) is performed before, during or after step b).

The present invention provides an alga that is modified to have suppressed expression of ATG8 through (i) overexpression of MEX1 and/or (ii) silencing of ATG8 with a miRNA and exhibits increased photosynthetic productivity to achieve increased biomass productivity in algal cells. The invention further provides a method of producing such a modified alga, a method of biomass production using such a modified alga, and starch produced using such a modified alga.

The present invention provides an alga that is modified to have suppressed expression of ATG8 through (i) overexpression of MEX1 and/or (ii) silencing of ATG8 with a miRNA and exhibits increased photosynthetic productivity to achieve increased biomass productivity in algal cells. The invention further provides a method of producing such a modified alga, a method of biomass production using such a modified alga, and starch produced using such a modified alga.

Disclosed herein are processing methods for producing a physically modified starch and for producing a physically modified flour and/or starch flour mixture. The starch process comprises adding at least one salt or additive to a starch, adjusting the pH of the starch to alkaline, and dewatering the starch using a filter to obtain filtered solids. The process further comprises drying the filtered solids, spreading a layer of dried filtered solids on a surface, and heating the dried filtered solids while on the surface to a temperature of about 100° C. to 190° C. to obtain the physically modified starch. In an embodiment, the flour and/or starch/flour mixture process comprises preparing a thermally inhibited flours and/or starch/flour mixtures starting with or without additives, pH adjustment, followed by heat treating the flour and/or starch/flour mixtures directly to obtain the physically modified flour and/or starch flour mixture.

This specification discloses thermally inhibited waxy cassava starches and edible compositions made therefrom. In one aspect edible compositions have improved creaminess compared to prior art starches, independent of starch usage level and the viscosity provided by the starch. In an embodiment the edible composition comprises between 0.1% and 35.0% by weight. In various embodiments the thermally inhibited waxy cassava starch has a peak viscosity of between about 100, and 2000 Brabender units or between 500 and 1500 Brabender Units.

This specification discloses thermally inhibited waxy cassava starches and edible compositions made therefrom. In one aspect edible compositions have improved creaminess compared to prior art starches, independent of starch usage level and the viscosity provided by the starch. In an embodiment the edible composition comprises between 0.1% and 35.0% by weight. In various embodiments the thermally inhibited waxy cassava starch has a peak viscosity of between about 100, and 2000 Brabender units or between 500 and 1500 Brabender Units.

A resistant starch is provided which, when added to a food, does not reduce the flavor of the food. This resistant starch is characterized in that the supernatant, obtained by creating a 33% suspension of the resistant starch in ultrapure water and centrifugally separating for 10 minutes at 2000×g, exhibits electrical conductivity of less than 350 μS/cm. A method for producing a resistant starch is also provided which involves a step for mixing a raw material starch and an acid and subjecting the mixture to conditions in which the resistant starch is generated.