PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PREGELATINIZED STARCH AND/OR PREGELATINIZED FLOUR

Abstract

The preparation of pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour, including the steps of: providing an aqueous medium having a pH of −1.0 to 7.5; mixing starch and/or flour with the aqueous medium to form a starch composition having a pH of 2.0 to 7.9, wherein the starch composition has the aqueous medium as continuous phase and contains between 20 and 60 wt. %, expressed as percentage of dry matter on total weight of the starch composition, of particles of starch and/or flour; pregelatinizing the starch composition, wherein said composition is heated using a drum dryer, while rotating the drum, to form the pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour, wherein during the heating the starch composition is dried using the drum dryer; allowing the pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour to cool to a temperature of at most 80° C.; and storing the obtained pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour at a temperature of at most 60° C.

Claims

1. A process for the preparation of pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour, comprising the steps of: Providing an aqueous medium having a pH in the range of −1.0 to 7.5; Mixing starch and/or flour with the aqueous medium in a mixing step to form a starch composition having a pH in the range of 2.0 to 7.9, preferably between 4.0 and 7.5, more preferably between 4.0 and 6.5, wherein the starch composition has the aqueous medium as continuous phase and contains between 20 and 60 wt. %, preferably between 30 and 50 wt. %, expressed as percentage of dry matter on total weight of the starch composition, of particles of starch and/or flour; and Pregelatinizing the starch composition in a pregelatinization step, wherein said composition is heated using a drum dryer, while rotating the drum, to form the pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour; wherein during the pregelatinization step the starch composition is dried using the drum dryer; Allowing the pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour to cool to a temperature of at most 80° C.; and Storing the obtained pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour at a temperature of at most 60° C., preferably at a temperature in the range between −10 ° C. and +50° C.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process comprises at least one of a physical modification step and a chemical modification step prior to the mixing step wherein the starch and/or flour is physically modified or chemically modified and wherein the starch and/or flour used in the mixing step is the physically modified starch and/or flour or the chemically modified starch and/or flour.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the process comprises a physical modification step prior to the mixing step, wherein the physical modification step is a thermal inhibition step for thermally inhibiting a starch and/or flour and wherein the starch and/or flour used in the mixing step is the thermally inhibited starch and / or thermally inhibited flour, and wherein the starch composition formed in the mixing step has a pH in the range between 4.0 and 7.5, more preferably between 4.0 and 6.5.

4. The process according to claim 2, wherein the process comprises a chemical modification step for chemically modifying a starch and/or flour prior to the mixing step, wherein the starch and/or flour used in the mixing step is the chemically modified starch and/or chemically modified flour, and wherein the starch composition formed in the mixing step has a pH in the range between 4.0 and 6.5.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the starch and/or flour is derived from a waxy starch and/or waxy flour.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the starch and/or flour is selected from maize (i.e. corn), wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, rye, and any mixtures thereof.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the starch and/or flour is derived from rice, preferably a waxy rice.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pregelatinizing step is performed such that the obtained pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour has a moisture content lying between 0 wt .% and 30 wt. %, preferably between 2 wt. % and 20 wt. %, more preferably between 3 and 15 wt. %

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in the mixing step, the pH of the starch composition is brought to a value between 4.0 and 6.5 within 90 minutes, preferably within 15 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes after the mixing of the starch and/or flour with the aqueous medium.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein in the pregelatinization step, said composition is heated using a drum dryer by the application of steam to the drum dryer.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step the starch and/or flour is the largest dry matter constituent.

12. The process according to claim 2, wherein the starch and/or flour is derived from a waxy starch and/or waxy flour.

13. The process according to claim 2, wherein the starch and/or flour is selected from maize (i.e. corn), wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, rye, and any mixtures thereof.

14. The process according to claim 2, wherein the starch and/or flour is derived from rice, preferably a waxy rice.

15. The process according to claim 2, wherein the pregelatinizing step is performed such that the obtained pregelatinized starch and/or pregelatinized flour has a moisture content lying between 0 wt. % and 30 wt. %, preferably between 2 wt. % and 20 wt. %, more preferably between 3 and 15 wt. %

16. The process according to claim 2, wherein: in the mixing step, the pH of the starch composition is brought to a value between 4.0 and 6.5 within 90 minutes, preferably within 15 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes after the mixing of the starch and/or flour with the aqueous medium.

17. The process according to claim 2, wherein in the pregelatinization step, said composition is heated using a drum dryer by the application of steam to the drum dryer.

18. The process according to claim 2, wherein in the mixing step the starch and/or flour is the largest dry matter constituent.

19. The process according to claim 3, wherein the starch and/or flour is derived from a waxy starch and/or waxy flour.

20. The process according to claim 3, wherein the starch and/or flour is selected from maize (i.e. corn), wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, rye, and any mixtures thereof.

Description

EXAMPLES

Preparation of a Gel

[0062] Certain properties of the starch or flour were determined by preparing a gel with the starch or flour. The experiments shown in Comparative Experiment A and B and Examples 1 and 2 are performed using a thermally inhibited rice starch. Experiments shown in Comparative Experiment C and D and Examples 3-5 are performed using another thermally inhibited rice starch. Said other thermally inhibited rice starch has a lower level of inhibition than the inhibition level of the thermally inhibited rice starch of experiments C, D, 1 and 2.

[0063] The experiments shown in Comparative Experiment E and F and Examples 6 and 7 are performed using a thermally inhibited corn starch.

[0064] The experiments shown in Comparative Experiment G and H and Examples 8 and 9 are performed using a chemically modified waxy rice starch.

[0065] The experiments shown in Comparative Experiment I and J and Example 10 are performed using a thermally inhibited rice flour.

[0066] The gel of a non-pregelatinized starch or non-pregelatinized flour was prepared in a Stephan UMSK 5 cooker equipped with a mixing insert having two rounded blades, using 135 g (dry matter) starch or 225 g (dry matter) flour. In a next step citric acid and trisodium citrate were used to acidify and buffer water to pH 3.6, and sufficient water to obtain a total weight of 2,500 g, whereby the citric acid and trisodium citrate were combined with the water before the starch was added.

[0067] The gel of a non-pregelatinized starch or non-pregelatinized flour was further prepared by heating the starch composition during 4.5 minutes at 94° C. via indirect heating of the double jacket of the Stephan UMSK 5 cooker at a steam pressure of 0.6 bar, while simultaneously mixing at 300 rpm. The obtained gel was cooled to 25° C. prior to applying further steps including an intensive shearing step on the gel as described below.

[0068] The gel of a pregelatinized starch or pregelatinized flour was prepared in a Stephan UMSK 5 cooker equipped with a mixing insert having two rounded blades, using 135 g (dry matter) starch or 225 g (dry matter) flour. In a next step 250 g of ethylene glycol (10 wt-% relative to the total weight of the solution) was added to the dry matter starch or flour prior to adding the water or other components. Citric acid and trisodium citrate were used to acidify and buffer the water to pH 3.6, and sufficient water to obtain a total weight of 2,500 g, whereby the citric acid and trisodium citrate were combined with the water before adding this to the starch or flour. The application of ethylene glycol was only applied to Comparative Experiment D, F, H and J as well as to Examples 3 to 10.

[0069] A homogeneous gel of a pregelatinized starch or flour was obtained by subjecting the mixture to 3 consecutive mixing steps in the Stephan UMSK 5 at room temperature during 8 min at 1200 rpm, 5 min at 900 rpm and 5 min at 300 rpm.

[0070] Thereafter, 500 mL portion of the obtained gel was subjected to an intensive shearing step by means of a Silverson L4RT mixer using a square hole (2.4 mm) high shear screenmixer head during 1 min at the specified shearing rate (rpm). The selection of rpm for the intensive shearing step is done based a.o. on the nature of the gel; thus, in further examples herein below it may be that another rpm is chosen in order to obtain the most meaningful insight into material behaviour. The rpm as used for the intensive shearing step—always during one minute—will be reflected in the notation of viscosity parameter by means of a subscript, whereby .sub.0 indicates no intensive shearing step (i.e. rpm is 0), .sub.1.5 indicates an rpm of 1,500, .sub.3 indicates an rpm of 3,000, .sub.5 indicates an rpm of 5,000, .sub.7 indicates an rpm of 7,000 etc. The sheared gel is allowed to rest overnight at a temperature of 4° C.

Measurement of Viscosity Properties

[0071] The viscosity and tan δ of a gel, made from the starch concerned, that had first been subjected to an intensive shear step, were determined at a temperature of 20° C. by means of an Anton Paar Rheometer (parallel plate-plate configuration; the plate diameter was 40 mm). As meant herein, the term tan δ is used in its common meaning of being a loss tangent in the linear viscoelastic region. It gives a ratio between viscous and elastic properties of a system, showing which one is the dominant one. With a tan δ value of 1, the elastic and viscous properties of the material are equal. The smaller the loss tangent is, the more elastic is the material. The viscosity at 0.88 s.sup.−1 was determined in a viscosity curve measurement wherein the shear rate varied from 0.1 to 100 s.sup.−1 according to a logarithmic ramp with 20 measuring points.

[0072] The tan δ was determined from the LVR range obtained via an amplitude sweep measurement having the following characteristics: deformation from 0.01 to 1000% according to a logarithmic ramp with 6 measuring points per decade.

[0073] In the Examples and Comparative Experiments herein, the tan δ and viscosity are always determined on a gel that has first been subjected to shear forces as described above, at the rpm as indicated per Example or Comparative Experiment.

Comparative Experiment A

[0074] The properties of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as such, which was the raw material as used in Comparative Experiment B and Examples 1-2 herein below, were measured without the starch having been subjected to any subsequent process step, such as slurrying.

[0075] The starch had 7.0 wt. % moisture content. The starch had a pH of 8.3 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water). The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00001 5 14,500 mPa.s tan 6 0.29

Comparative Experiment B

[0076] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment A was used to form a slurry, using demineralized water as aqueous medium. The resulting slurry contained 30 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the slurry. The slurry had a pH of 8.0. The slurry was subsequently de-watered on a drum dryer (single drum-dryer of Andritz, type E5/5) using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a slurried-dried starch having 4.4 wt. % moisture content.

[0077] The slurried-dried starch had a pH of 8.3 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water).

[0078] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00002 5 9,750 mPa.s tan 6 0.36

Example 1

[0079] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment A was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water acidified with sulfuric acid prior to contact with rice starch to pH 2.5 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 7.3 and contained 30 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the starch composition.

[0080] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 4.6 wt. % moisture content.

[0081] The pregelatinized starch had a pH of 7.7 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water).

[0082] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00003 5 11,900 mPa.s tan 6 0.28

Example 2

[0083] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment A was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water which was acidified with sulfuric acid prior to contact with rice starch to pH 2.1 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 6.2 and contained 30 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the slurry.

[0084] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 5.0 wt. % moisture content.

[0085] The pregelatinized starch had a pH of 6.5 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water).

[0086] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00004 5 12,300 mPa.s tan 6 0.28

[0087] The results .sub.5 and tan δ show that the shear stability of Example 1 and Example 2, which have a pH of starch composition lower than 7.9, was considerably higher than for Comparative Example B.

Comparative Experiment C

[0088] The properties of said another thermally inhibited waxy rice starch, which was the raw material as used in Comparative Experiment D and Example 3, 4 and 5 herein below, were measured without the starch having been subjected to any subsequent process step, such as slurrying.

[0089] The starch had 10.0 wt. % moisture content. The starch had a pH of 8.1 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water). The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00005 5 5600 mPa.s tan 6 0.50

Comparative Experiment D

[0090] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment C was used to form a slurry, using demineralized water as aqueous medium. The resulting slurry contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited rice starch based on total weight of the slurry. The slurry had a pH of 8.2. The slurry was subsequently de-watered on a drum dryer (single drum-dryer of Andritz, type E5/5) using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a slurried-dried starch having 3.5 wt. % moisture content.

[0091] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00006 7,200 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.47

Example 3

[0092] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment C was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water which was acidified with citric acid prior to contact with rice starch to pH 2.1 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 5.0 and contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the slurry.

[0093] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 5.0 wt. % moisture content.

[0094] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00007 9,300 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.31

Example 4

[0095] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment C was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water which was acidified with citric acid prior to contact with rice starch to pH 4.0 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 6.0 and contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the slurry.

[0096] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 2.3 wt. % moisture content.

[0097] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00008 9,000 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.36

Example 5

[0098] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment C was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water which was acidified with citric acid prior to contact with rice starch to pH 4.3 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 7.0 and contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice starch based on total weight of the slurry.

[0099] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 3.7 wt. % moisture content.

[0100] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00009 8,800 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.41

[0101] The results .sub.5 and tan δ show that the shear stability of Example 3 and Example 4 and Example 5, which have a pH of starch composition lower than 7.9, was considerably higher than for Comparative Example D.

Comparative Experiment E

[0102] The properties of the thermally inhibited waxy corn starch as such, which was the raw material as used in Comparative Experiment F and Example 6 and 7 herein below, were measured without the starch having been subjected to any subsequent process step, such as slurrying.

[0103] The starch had 10.2 wt. % moisture content. The starch had a pH of 7.2 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water). The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00010 13,500 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.44

Comparative Experiment F

[0104] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy corn starch as was used in Comparative Experiment E was used to form a slurry, using demineralized water as aqueous medium. The resulting slurry contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy corn starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited corn starch based on total weight of the slurry. The slurry had a pH of 8.2. The slurry was subsequently de-watered on a drum dryer (single drum-dryer of Andritz, type E5/5) using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a slurried-dried starch having 2.9 wt. % moisture content.

[0105] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00011 8,200 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.43

Example 6

[0106] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy corn starch as was used in Comparative Experiment E was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water acidified with citric acid prior to contact with corn starch to pH 3.3 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 5.0 and contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited corn starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited corn starch based on total weight of the starch composition.

[0107] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 3.4 wt. % moisture content.

[0108] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00012 11,100 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.30

Example 7

[0109] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy corn starch as was used in Comparative Experiment E was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water acidified with citric acid prior to contact with corn starch to pH 3.4 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 5.5 and contained 36 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited corn starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited corn starch based on total weight of the starch composition.

[0110] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 3.2 wt. % moisture content.

[0111] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00013 10,600 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.31

[0112] The results .sub.5 and tan δ show that the shear stability of Example 6 and Example 7, which have a pH of starch composition lower than 7.9, was considerably higher than for Comparative Example F.

Comparative Experiment G

[0113] The properties of the chemically modified waxy rice starch as such, which was the raw material as used in Comparative Experiment H and Examples 8-9 herein below, were measured without the starch having been subjected to any subsequent process step, such as slurrying.

[0114] The starch had 12.8 wt. % moisture content. The starch had a pH of 6.3 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the starch in demineralised water). The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00014 13,800 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.33  3,700 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.74

Comparative Experiment H

[0115] A sample of the chemically modified waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment G was used to form a slurry, using demineralized water as aqueous medium. The resulting slurry contained 36 wt. % particles of chemically modified rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the chemically modified rice starch based on total weight of the slurry. The slurry had a pH of 8.0. The slurry was subsequently de-watered on a drum dryer (single drum-dryer of Andritz, type E5/5) using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a slurried-dried starch having 3.1 wt. % moisture content. The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00015 7,200 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.62 1,800 mPa .Math. s tan δ 1.62

Example 8

[0116] A sample of the chemically modified waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment G was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water acidified with citric acid prior to contact with corn starch to pH 3.6 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 5.0 and contained 36 wt. % particles of chemically modified waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the chemically modified waxy rice starch based on total weight of the starch composition.

[0117] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 2.5 wt. % moisture content.

[0118] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00016 15,400 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.25  5,700 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.61

Example 9

[0119] A sample of the chemically modified waxy rice starch as was used in Comparative Experiment G was used to form a starch composition, using demineralized water acidified with citric acid prior to contact with corn starch to pH 4.1 as aqueous medium. The resulting starch composition had a pH of 5.5 and contained 36 wt. % particles of chemically modified waxy rice starch expressed as percentage of dry matter of the chemically modified waxy rice starch based on total weight of the starch composition.

[0120] The starch composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.5 bar of steam and 5 rpm to form a pregelatinized starch having 3.4 wt. % moisture content.

[0121] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00017 17,400 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.25  5,100 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.65

[0122] The results .sub.5 and tan δ at 5000 rpm and .sub.7 and tan δ at 7000 rpm show that the shear stability of Example 8 and Example 9, which have a pH of starch composition lower than 7.9, was considerably higher than for Comparative Example H.

Comparative Experiment I

[0123] The properties of the thermally inhibited waxy rice flour as such, which was the raw material as used in Comparative Experiment J and Example 10 herein below, were measured without the flour having been subjected to any subsequent process step, such as slurrying.

[0124] The flour had 0.12 wt. % moisture content. The flour had a pH of 8.0 (determined on a 10 wt. % solution of the flour in demineralised water). The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00018 21,800 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.50  4,700 mPa .Math. s tan δ 1.22

Comparative Experiment J

[0125] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice flour as was used in Comparative Experiment I was used to form a slurry, using demineralized water as aqueous medium. The resulting slurry contained 29 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice flour expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice flour based on total weight of the slurry. The slurry had a pH of 8.0. The slurry was subsequently de-watered on a drum dryer (single drum-dryer of Andritz, type E5/5) using conditions of 6 bar of steam and 6 rpm to form a slurried-dried flour having 5.0 wt. % moisture content.

[0126] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00019 12,500 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.67  7,300 mPa .Math. s tan δ 1.01

Example 10

[0127] A sample of the thermally inhibited waxy rice flour as was used in Comparative Experiment I was used to form a flour composition, using demineralized water acidified with citric acid prior to contact with corn flour to pH 3.2 as aqueous medium. The resulting flour composition had a pH of 5.0 and contained 29 wt. % particles of thermally inhibited waxy rice flour expressed as percentage of dry matter of the thermally inhibited waxy rice flour based on total weight of the flour composition.

[0128] The flour composition was subsequently dried on a drum dryer using conditions of 5.8 bar of steam and 10 rpm to form a pregelatinized flour having 5.1 wt. % moisture content.

[0129] The viscosity properties were determined to be:

TABLE-US-00020 16,800 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.49  7,900 mPa .Math. s tan δ 0.86

[0130] The results .sub.5 and tan δ at 5000 rpm and .sub.7 and tan δ at 7000 rpm show that the shear stability of Example 10, which has a pH of starch composition lower than 7.9, was considerably higher than for Comparative Example J.

[0131] Whilst the principles of the invention have been set out above in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that this description is merely made by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of protection which is determined by the appended claims.