Chapter 4
Modified Starch, Maltodextrin, and Corn Syrup Solids as Wall Materials for Food Encapsulation Melanie M . Kenyon
Downloaded by UNIV LAVAL on February 17, 2013 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: March 24, 1995 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1995-0590.ch004
Grain Processing Corporation, 1600 Oregon Street, Muscatine, IA 52761
Modified starch, maltodextrins, and corn syrup solids are used extensively for encapsulation of food ingredients. Their aqueous solubility, low viscosity, and ease of drying characteristics lend themselves to spray dried, spray coated and extruded encapsulations. Understanding the various characteristics of these products can help in selection of the optimum system for ingredient encapsulation.
Gum arabic has historically been used as the most common "natural" matrix material for food encapsulations. Its solubility, low viscosity, and emulsification characteristics make it very versatile for most encapsulation methods, but historically it has also been plagued with problems of drought causing short supplies and also high costs. Starch is one of the most common natural polymers on earth. It has been commercially extracted from numerous sources including corn, tapioca, potato, wheat, rice and waxy maize. Its availability is normally unquestioned, and due to the adequate supply, it is relatively inexpensive. Chemically, starches are polymers of anhydrous units linked together primarily by alpha 1-4 bonds and secondarily by alpha 1-6 bonds. There are two polymer types found in starch, amylose which is the straight chain polymer, and amylopectin which is a branched chain polymer. Amylose, with its long, straight chains, is known for forming strong, flexible films. Amylopectin, due to its branching, does not form as strong a film, but is noted for clarity and stability when forming gels and may show a slightly greater tendency towards absorption or binding of flavors. The amount of amylose and amylopectin varies by the starch source. Typically, dent corn starch may 0097-6156/95/0590-0042$12.00/0 © 1995 American Chemical Society In Encapsulation and Controlled Release of Food Ingredients; Risch, S., et al.; ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1995.
4. KENYON
Modified Starch, Maltodextrin, & Corn Syrup Solids
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be up to 28 percent amylose, tapioca starch is approximately 17 percent amylose and waxy maize is typically
