Production, structure, physicochemical and functional properties of maize, cassava, wheat, potato and rice starches

In 2012, the world production of starch was 75 million tons. Maize, cassava, wheat and potato are the main botanical origins for starch production with only minor quantities of rice and other starches being produced. These starches are either used by industry as such or following some conversion. When selecting and developing starches for specific purposes, it is important to consider the differences between starches of varying botanical origin. Here, an overview is given of the production, structure, composition, morphology, swelling, gelatinisation, pasting and retrogradation, paste firmness and clarity and freeze-thaw stability of maize, cassava, wheat, potato and rice starches. Differences in properties are largely defined by differences in amylose and amylopectin structures and contents, granular organisation, presence of lipids, proteins and minerals and starch granule size.