A methodology useful for predicting the texture of a heated starch suspension by predicting the storage modulus (G′) of the starch suspension resulting from starch granule swelling during heating has been developed. The methodology is based on the physical properties of the starch granules in the starch suspension and the temperature history of the heated starch suspension.

A preparation method of a conductive elastomer includes the following steps: (1) according to the mass percent of 20˜75%, dissolving the metallic salts into deionized water to form an electrolyte solution, wherein said metallic salts is either of magnesium nitrate, sodium nitrate, zinc nitrate, cesium nitrate, calcium nitrate, neodymium nitrate, aluminum nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, zinc chloride, cesium chloride, aluminum chloride or their combinations; (2) according to the mass percent of 10˜40%, mixing starches into the electrolyte solution prepared in step (1), then at the temperature of 33˜120 ° C., stirring to gelatinize the starches, forming a viscous liquid; (3) standing the viscous liquid obtained in step (2) at 25˜90° C. for 10 min to 48 h to obtain the conductive elastomer.

A converted starch is disclosed, wherein it has a molecular weight, M.sub.W, of 250,000-5,000,000 g/mol, a degree of branching of 3.1-3.9%, an amylose content of at most 7%, and a DE (dextrose equivalents) value of 0.05-0.5, as well as a food product containing the converted starch, a method for the production of said converted starch, wherein it comprises the steps of adding a glucan branching enzyme, chosen from Rhodothermus obamesis or Rhodothermus marinus enzymes and enzymes from similar organisms having at least 60% amino acid sequence identity with the Rhodothermus obamesis or Rhodothermus marinus enzyme to an aqueous composition containing starch in a concentration of at least 5% by weight at a temperature of 45-80° C., until a converted starch having a branching degree of 3.1-3.9% is obtained, optionally followed by drying said aqueous solution to a powder of the converted starch, and use of said converted starch for the production of the food product.

The subject matter of the invention is a modified starch, characterized in that it exhibits: ⋅a weight-average molecular weight ranging from 250 000 to 2 000 000 Da; ⋅a solubility, measured according to a test A, ranging from 50 to 85%. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of said starch and to the use thereof in the manufacture of an aqueous binder.

The subject matter of the invention is a modified starch, characterized in that it exhibits: ⋅a weight-average molecular weight ranging from 250 000 to 2 000 000 Da; ⋅a solubility, measured according to a test A, ranging from 50 to 85%. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of said starch and to the use thereof in the manufacture of an aqueous binder.

A method for producing pregelatinized cereal flour according to the present invention includes: a pregelatinization step of heating a slurry containing 100 parts by mass of cereal flour and 500 parts by mass or more of water under a condition that the temperature of the slurry is 90° C. or more, to pregelatinize starch contained in the cereal flour; and a drying step of drying the slurry from the pregelatinization step to obtain a solid. In the pregelatinization step, the slurry is stirred while heating the slurry. In the pregelatinization step, the slurry is preferably heated under a condition that the temperature of the slurry is 100° C. or more. According to the present invention, there is provided pregelatinized starch that can improve the taste and texture of food and impart aging resistance to the food.

A method for producing pregelatinized cereal flour according to the present invention includes: a pregelatinization step of heating a slurry containing 100 parts by mass of cereal flour and 500 parts by mass or more of water under a condition that the temperature of the slurry is 90° C. or more, to pregelatinize starch contained in the cereal flour; and a drying step of drying the slurry from the pregelatinization step to obtain a solid. In the pregelatinization step, the slurry is stirred while heating the slurry. In the pregelatinization step, the slurry is preferably heated under a condition that the temperature of the slurry is 100° C. or more. According to the present invention, there is provided pregelatinized starch that can improve the taste and texture of food and impart aging resistance to the food.

The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for dissolving starch. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for dissolving starch by introducing mechanical force to at least partially gelatinized agueous starch.

The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for dissolving starch. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for dissolving starch by introducing mechanical force to at least partially gelatinized agueous starch.

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.