Cross-linked starches

Cross-linked starches are those that undergo a molecular reaction at selected hydroxyl (-OH) groups of two adjoining intact starch molecule.

The purpose of cross-linked is to enable the starch to withstand such conditions as low pH, high shear or high temperatures.  Cross-linked as well as cross-linked and stabilized starches are extensively used throughout the food industry to thicken, stabilize and texturize food systems.

Cross-linked starches are used when a stable, high-viscosity starch paste is needed particularly when dispersion is to be subjected to high temperature, shear or low pH. They play an important role in suspending other food ingredients to provide nutritionally uniform foods. The cross-linked starches become less fragile and more resistant to rupture than the original unmodified starch. Although it is more tolerant of high temperatures, it is not more tolerant of cold temperatures.

These starches are used in many foods, especially acid food products such as pizza sauce or barbecue sauce because the modified starch is more acid resistant than an unmodified starch. They are used in the preparation of pie filling, bread, puddings, baby foods, soups, gravies, salad dressing etc and for retort foods and aseptic processing.

As a result of cross-linking, a starch swells less and is less thick. In retort sterilization of canned foods, cross-linked starches with a slow gelatinization of swelling rate are used to provide low initial viscosity, high heat transfer and rapid temperature increase for quick sterilization.
Cross-linked starches