Thermally Modified Starch Process for Visco-Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a more economical and efficient process to produce hydrothermally modified starch with improved visco-stability that does not rely on intricate fluidized bed technology and chemical crosslinkers, while also meeting consumer demand for chemical-free ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the heating of alkalinised starch between 140 and 190 °C in the presence of water, using a water-miscible organic solvent like ethanol, which results in a visco-stable product without the need for fluidized beds or chemical crosslinkers, allowing for shorter heating periods and reduced equipment complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional fluidized bed technology is used for thermal modification of starch, then dehydration and heat treatment can be achieved, but the process becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of thermal modification from the complex fluidized bed system and implements it using simple batch heating equipment. The starch is dehydrated to below 10% water content and then heated in a conventional heater, eliminating the need for specialized fluidized bed technology while achieving the same thermal modification effect
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses conventional, readily available heating equipment instead of expensive, specialized fluidized bed reactors. This approach accepts that the process may require longer heating times but trades equipment cost and complexity for process time, making the technology economically viable for smaller-scale operations
2Reliability
If chemical crosslinkers are used to achieve visco-stability, then thickening and stabilizing properties are improved, but consumer acceptance decreases due to chemical additives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the typically harmful effect of high-temperature heating (which can cause degradation and coloration) into a beneficial process by carefully controlling the thermal treatment of dehydrated starch. The dehydration followed by controlled heating at 140-190°C for 1-24 hours induces natural crosslinking through Maillard reactions and other thermal processes, achieving visco-stability without external chemical additives
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of starch by dehydrating it to below 10% water content before heat treatment. This parameter change enables the starch to undergo thermal modification at lower temperatures and shorter times, achieving crosslinking and visco-stability without requiring chemical catalysts or crosslinkers
3Reliability
If longer heating periods are used for thermal modification, then visco-stability improves, but energy consumption and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary dehydration of starch to below 10% water content before the thermal modification step. This preliminary action prepares the starch for more efficient heat transfer and enables the crosslinking reaction to proceed faster and more effectively during the subsequent heating phase, reducing the overall processing time required to achieve visco-stability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process produces a thermally inhibited starch with increased and stable viscosity, achieving visco-stability of at least 80% of the peak viscosity, and results in a product with improved whiteness and color properties, suitable for use as a thickener or stabilizer in food applications without chemical modifications.
Implementation Method 1
heating the starch between 140 and 190 °C in the presence of water
Implementation Method 2
a starch having stable viscosity behaviour as a result of a thermal treatment
Implementation Method 3
adding an alkaline solution of a water-miscible organic solvent
Implementation Method 4
heating the starch between 140 and 190 °C in the presence of water
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing thermally inhibited starch is described resulting in a visco-stable starch product with improved whiteness. The process comprises pretreating a dry starch with an alkaline solution in a water-miscible solvent, adjusting the water content of the starch to below12 wt.%, heating the starch at a temperature between 140 and 190 °C, preferably between 140 and 180 °C, and cooling and optionally further processing the starch. The thermally inhibited starch has the advantages of not being chemically modified. The process is more flexible and faster than conventional inhibition processes.