What is Wheat Starch?

Wheat starch is a form of carbohydrate found in many plants, and it is a staple part of the human diet. Other starch sources include corn, potatoes, tapioca, and wheat. It is a polysaccharide which contains a large proportion of linked glucose molecules. Wheat starch is a significant pasta component, representing about 70% of its weight. After making dough and washing the starch residue, the wheat was first milled into flour. The main components of wheat are starch, fibre, and gluten protein. However, since there is a high demand for gluten-free starch, the milled wheat must first dissolve in water, and the gluten must be washed out. However, in recent times, much emphasis is now being placed on refined starch.

Uses and Applications of Wheat Starch:

Wheat starch, in its natural form, is often used as a thickener. It is a tasteless, odourless, white powder commonly used as a fat substitute to stabilise desserts, sauces, and instant food products. Wheat starch has found considerable use in the food industry, as in the tenderisation of cakes and sweeteners. Starch is the major component of wheat, and it has found widespread uses in the food industry. The different types of wheat and its species result in different starch functionalities such as retrogradation, thermal, nutritional, and pasting properties. Starches from softer wheat forms contain high amounts of proteins and surface lipids. Softer wheat forms also result in a lower starch paste viscosity. Wheat starch is starch processed with wheat flour. Its main difference from wheat gluten is that the gluten is washed off, and the resulting wheat starch is subsequently precipitated. Wheat was initially the sole source of starch till maise, and potato starch forms grew in popularity as other alternative sources. Wheat starch is often used as a stabiliser, an emulsifier, and also as a thickener. When applied in food production, wheat starch helps increase the viscosity, adhesion, gel formation, binding, moisture retention, and texture of food products.