Clean label starch: production, physicochemical characteristics, and industrial applications

Recently, health-conscious consumers have a tendency to avoid the use of modified starch in their food products because of reluctance regarding food additives or chemical processes. The present paper considers the characteristics and manufacturing methods of clean label starch, which is free from chemical modification. Clean label starch manufacturing is mainly dependent on starch blending, physical and enzymatic modification methods. Physical modifications include ultrasound, hydrothermal (e.g., heat-moisture treatment and annealing), pre-gelatinization (e.g., drum drying, roll drying, spray cooking, and extrusion cooking), high-pressure (high hydrostatic pressure), and pulsed electric field treatments. These physical processes allow variation of starch properties, such as morphological, thermal, rheological, and pasting properties. Enzyme treatment can change the properties of starch more dramatically. Actual use of clean label starch with such altered properties has occurred in industry and is described here. This review may provide useful information on the current status and future direction of clean label starch in the field of food science.