What is modified potato starch?
Modified potato starch is starch that has been altered in some way or form. Unlike some preconceptions, this does not necessarily mean that the starch has been genetically modified. There are genetically modified potatoes with their amylose/amylopectin adjusted from the normal 20%/80%. Duynie does not use genetic modified material, neither is our starch produced by or from genetically modified organisms. Modified starch in our portfolio simply means that alterations have been made to sidestream potato starch, to improve certain properties, such as structure or solubility. These alterations make the starch more suitable for modern processing.
Two types of potato starch
There are two types of potato starch: natural starch, usually referred to as native potato starch, and modified starch. The latter has been altered in some ways, as the name already suggests. This makes it more suitable for its final application, be it for food purposes or non-food purposes, such as adhesives. But what benefits or possible counter benefits does it bring with it? And how has the starch been modified exactly?
The reasons to modify starch
The starch can be altered in several ways. One example, native starch contains water for a certain amount of time. With modified potato starch, this natural tendency can be changed to the demands of our customers. This makes the starch more suitable for longer storage. Another reason to modify starch is to have it resist extreme temperatures better (excessive heat or freezing) or to make it better suited in various applications where natural adhesives are preferred. An example of the latter is a pregelatinized starch. There are many more ways to modify starch and below you can find a scoop of the methods currently possible at Duynie.
The two ways of modifying starch at Duynie
Method 1: Physical modification
Using heat is the most common method to modify the physical appearance of starch. The starch is either roasted or cooked. Other methods include subjecting starch to high pressure and temperature, for example by extrusion, crushing or grinding starch. These methods have in common that they wholly or partly disrupt the structure of the starch. Some of the starch unfolds itself from its natural state, without changing the chemical components in starch. By doing so it is making starch highly soluble in cold water and easier to dose the amount to various applications. Fresh, unmodified starch must be cooked before it will dissolve in water. The temperature is different per source (maize, wheat, rice or potato for example).
Method 2: Chemical modification
These are alterations where you change the chemical composition of starch by using other compounds. The modification depends on what chemical is used, altering one of the parts of the polysaccharide chain (starch). This can be an oxidation, hydrolysis, cross-linking or adding other groups to the polymer chain.
- Oxidation: using oxygen to reduce the polymer to some degree.
- Hydrolysis: as the name suggests, water is used to split up the starch into smaller bits on a molecular level. This is possible through various chemicals, but also by using enzymes. The enzyme is then the catalyst for the hydrolysis, making it an enzymatic modification or even its own individual group.
- It is also possible to cross-link multiple starch molecules or add extra groups to the polymeric chain. Etherifications and esterifications are common with starch with various degrees of modifications.
Each of the modifications above create their individual properties in the final product with their application. Some applications might even require multiple of these modifications to perform optimally
Is modified potato starch healthy?
Native potato starch is a plant-based product. In and of itself it is safe for human contact or consumption. This makes it suitable for so many applications. Modified potato starch is altered to enhance certain qualities, but this should not impact its safe status. Modified starch has to undergo rigorous testing before it can hit the market. This is especially true when used for food products. Each food additive in Europe has to be approved by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), which includes thorough and independent testing procedures. Whether modified potato starch is ‘healthy’ is less relevant for non-food purposes, of course. But safety and quality are just as important here. Thus there are also strict testing protocols for starch-based products, such as glue for paper bags.
A guarantee of quality at Duynie
All Duynie products are produced in compliance with international safety and hygiene regulations. We are ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000 certified, among others. Furthermore, Duynie’s own laboratories control the quality of our incoming goods, production processes and end products. This ensures quality from start to finish. The laboratories also work closely alongside our own R&D department and help analyze the development of new products and applications. This way our clients can be sure that our (modified) potato starch based adhesives are safe and of good quality.
Applications in modified potato starch
Potato starch is a versatile product that can be used for various applications and across many different industries. As already mentioned, the food industry is a large recipient. Starch-based thickening agents are plentiful. Apart from that it is also used as the basis for sustainable adhesives, for example paper bag glue or paper sack glue. Its natural binding qualities make it perfect for this purpose. Potato-starch based glue has many advantages. Modified potato starch has even more improved qualities, for example an extremely high viscosity. As a result machines can run at top speed without the danger of splashing. That means a faster production process and less downtime due to cleaning. All these reasons together provide plenty of reasons to choose for biodegradable adhesives based on modified potato starch, such as Novinexx P130.
Duynie: modified potato starch supplier
Duynie has been a potato starch producer and manufacturer of potato starch for many years. This experience allows us to maintain our quality and help our clients as best as we can. Furthermore, all our potato starch is based on co-products, making it extra sustainable. Doing business with Duynie thus enhances your green image and helps you meet your sustainability goals.
Specific requests?
Contact us
Please contact our specialists. They are happy to walk you through all our solutions.
Contact us