Starches and cereals

Starches and cereals outline

Starch
Source
Amylose
Amylopectin

Starch Cookery

Dextrinization
Gelatinization
Retrogradation
Effect of other ingredients

Starches and cereals outline

Modified food starches
Cereals and grains

Introduction
General cookery
Rice
Oats
Corn
Barley
Wheat

Grain anatomy
Bran -- contains much of the fiber
and minerals of the grain
Germ -- the part of the grain that would
become the new plant if the seed were
planted. High in protein and fat.
Endosperm -- approximately 80%
starch and 20% protein. Source of
flour and starch.

Starch granules
Synthesized in the amyloplasts

Normal light

Polarized light

Birefringence indicates that the granules are semicrystalline

Interior structure of the granules is still not well understood

Potato starch granules under

polarized light

Hilum -where synthesis

of the granule
began

Image courtesy of Univ. of York, Inst. For Applied Biology

(www.york.ac.uk/org/macromol/)

Corn starch granules

Unmodified corn
starch

Corn

Potato

Tapioca

Oat

Rice

Wheat

Other
starches
(Magnification =
1000x)

Amylose molecule

CH2OH

H
OH

D-glucose

H
OH

HO
H

OH

Amylopectin molecule

CH2OH
O

OH

H
OH

HO
H

OH

D-glucose

Amylopectin (again)
Note highly branched
structure

Amylose/amylopectin ratio
Generally, about one part amylose to
every three parts of amylopectin for
normal grain sources
Waxy varieties contain 0% amylose
and 100% amylopectin
Used in non-gelling starch applications,
starch-thickened frozen products, and many
modified starches

Starch cookery
To avoid lumping, disperse starch in
Cold liquid
Then add to hot liquid

Fat
Form a roux
Roux = flour + butter + heat

Other dry, granular ingredients

e. g., sugar

Starch cookery
To avoid starchy taste
Reach gelatinization temperature, then cook
an additional 1-3 minutes on direct heat or
10-15 minutes in a double boiler

Starch cooking medium

Dry heat

Dextrinization
Thermal degradation of starch
Browning occurs
Such starches produce thin cooked pastes
Little thickening power, e.g., brown gravy

Starch cooking medium

Moist heat

Gelatinization
Starch granule swelling
Loss of amylose from the swelling granule
Gelatinization temperature depends on the
type of starch
Produces a thick cooked paste
Gelation (gel formation) occurs on cooling,
but this may depend on the type of starch

Gelatinization
Swelling and disorganization of starch
granules heated in water
Measures of gelatinization

Swelling of granules
Increased viscosity (thickness)
Increased translucency
Increased solubility

Gelatinization temperature
Starch

Range (degrees C)

Potato

56-66

Corn

62-72

Sorghum

68.5-75

Wheat

52-63

Gelatinization temperature range is characteristic for each type

of starch, that is for each botanical source.

Starch gelatinization
Raw
starch

Amylopectin

Heat and water

+
Swollen starch

Also see www2.hawaii.edu/lynn/main.html

Amylose

Starch gelation

swollen

amylose

collapsed
cool

Junction zone
Water

Water

Water
Starch gel

Starch gelation
Amylose is the glue that holds the gel
together
Therefore, waxy starches do not gel
They form thick, cooked pastes and are
frequently the starting material in the
production of modified food starches

Starch over-retrogradation
(uglification)

Small
Large junction zones

Factors affecting gelatinization,

retrogradation, and gel formation
Sugar
Competes for water and plasticizes junction
zones; decreases gelatinization and gel
strength

Acid
Hydrolysis of acid sensitive glycosidic
linkages produces smaller pieces of starch
molecules; decreases gel strength

Factors affecting gelatinization,

retrogradation, and gel formation
Stirring/shearing
Collapses swollen granules; this decreases
gel formation and gel strength

Lightning quiz

Modified starches
Waxy
All amylopectin, no amylose

Pregelatinized
Cold water dispersible (instant puddings)

Acid modified (thin boiling)

Limited hydrolysis of starch
Decreases maximum viscosity
Gives excellent cooled gel strength, e.g. gum
drop texture

Modified starches
Cross-linked
Restricts granule swelling
Limits maximum viscosity
Makes granules much less fragile

Derivatized
Ethers or esters
Used to prevent or control syneresis. Good
for freeze-thaw stability

Starch-based sauces
Type

Liquid (cups)

Flour (T)

Very thin

1/2

Thin

Medium

Thick

Very thick

Cereals and grains

These are seeds of the grass family
Bran -- contains much of the fiber
and minerals of the grain
Germ -- the part of the grain that would
become the new plant if the seed were
planted. High in protein and fat.
Endosperm -- approximately 80%
starch and 20% protein. Source of
flour and starch.

Cereals and grains

Grains are economical sources of
carbohydrate energy
The protein is relatively low in biological
value relative to meat, fish, eggs, and
milk

Grain enrichment
Most grain foods are enriched
This means the following are added

Iron
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folic acid

General cereal cookery

Whole grain
Add dry cereal slowly to boiling water

Ground cereals
Pre-soak the cereal in cold water, then add
boiling water. This will prevent lumping of
finely ground cereals like farina (Cream of
Wheat)

Cereal expansion on cooking

Be aware of grain expansion
Normally this is 2-4 times the original
volume
Pre-cooked cereals expand less than nonpre-cooked cereals
Converted rice ---------> 4x expansion
Minute rice --------------> 2x expansion

Rice expansion

Uncooked

Cooked

More expansion

Rice
Brown
Whole rice, bran intact
Longer cooking time due to slow water penetration
of bran (up to 50 minutes)
Brown rice has a different texture, more nutrients,
and more fiber than other forms of rice
As of July 2008, can make the label health claim
Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant
foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and
cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and
some cancers.

Rice
Polished

Bran removed
Removes some nutrients and fiber
3x expansion on cooking
Usually enriched

Converted
Parboiled before bran removal
Theory says that this treatment retains more
nutrients than polished rice. Usually enriched.

Effect of parboiling and

milling
Bran

Endosperm
M

Mineral/100g rice

Polished

Converted

Calcium

28 mg

55 mg

Iron

0.80 mg

0.74 mg

Magnesium

25 mg

27 mg

Phosphorus

115 mg

156 mg

Potassium

115 mg

187 mg

Sodium

5 mg

3 mg

Zinc

1.09 mg

1.04 mg

Copper

0.220 mg

0.267 mg

Manganese

1.088

1.110 mg

Selenium

15.1 mcg

23.9 mcg

TakenfromtheUSDANationalNutrientDatabase

Rices

Rice
Minute

Pre-cooked polished or converted

5 minutes cooking time
2x expansion
Different taste and texture compared to other rices

Wild
Seeds of other grasses, but not a real rice
Usually quite expensive

Oats
Nutritionally quite good
Contains a fiber that lowers circulating and
liver cholesterol
Allowed to make heart healthy claims on the
box
Rolled oats --crushed and flattened between rollers
Oatmeal -- ground oats, common breakfast cereal

Corn
White and yellow types
Native American grain

Hominy
Alkaline treated corn
Grain swells and produces a distinctive
flavor
May be whole grain and canned, or dried
and ground to a meal

Corn
Grits
Coarsely ground corn

Meal
Finely ground corn
Meal can be used to make corn bread or can
be converted into corn starch and corn syrup

Flakes
Rolled, dried, and toasted grain

Barley
Used in soups and baby foods
Useful for people who have allergies to
other grains (especially wheat)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
announced (1/9/06) that whole-grain
barley and barley-containing products
are allowed to claim that they reduce the
risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)

Wheat
Wheat has a problem which it shares
with many other grains
Low in the essential amino acid L-lysine
The wheat-rye cross triticale is sufficient
in L-lysine

Wheat
Farina
Cream of wheat
Finely ground wheat which has been
enzymatically treated to degrade some of the
protein and make cooking quicker
Used as a thickener in foods or eaten as a
breakfast cereal

Wheat
Durum

Very high protein flour

Said to be hard
Usually finely ground
Only used for pasta

Semolina
Coarsely ground durum

Wheat nomenclature
Growing
season

Spring, winter -------------------

Grain pigment

White
Red

Low protein
High protein

Kernel texture

Hard
Soft

High protein
Low protein

Wheat proteins
A hard red spring wheat would be high in
(functional) proteins while a soft white winter
wheat would be low in functional proteins
Wheat protein contributes structure
Different flours (protein contents) are used for
different products (cakes, breads, etc.) in order
to produce the proper texture
Lightning quiz