What is almidon?

Almidón (Starch)

Almidón, also known as starch, is a complex carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. It's a white, tasteless, odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water.

Key Characteristics:

• Source: It's produced by green plants as an energy store. Major sources for human consumption include corn, potatoes, rice, wheat, and cassava.

• Composition: Almidón is primarily composed of two types of polymers: amylose and amylopectin. The ratio of these two components varies depending on the plant source. Amylose is a linear polymer, while amylopectin is a highly branched polymer.

• Properties:

  • Gelatinization: When almidón is heated in water, the granules swell and burst, forming a viscous gel. This is known as gelatinization.
  • Retrogradation: Upon cooling, the starch molecules can reassociate, leading to a hardening or crystallization of the gel. This is called retrogradation.
  • Digestion: Humans and animals can digest almidón thanks to enzymes like amylase, which break it down into glucose.

• Uses:

  • Food Industry: Used as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and binder in various food products like sauces, soups, desserts, and baked goods.
  • Industrial Applications: Employed in the production of paper, adhesives, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
  • Biofuel: Can be converted into sugars and subsequently fermented into ethanol for biofuel production.

• Modified Starches: These are starches that have been chemically or physically altered to enhance their properties for specific applications. These modifications can improve things like freeze-thaw stability, thickening power, or resistance to breakdown under heat or acid.