Starch Pros

April 15^th 2021

Royal Avebe and Solynta join forces: hybrid breeding in starch potato production.

Averis Seeds B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Avebe, will be working together with the hybrid potato breeding company Solynta on the hybrid breeding of starch potato varieties. Hybrid breeding facilitates significantly faster development of new sustainable potato varieties compared to conventional breeding.

Hybrid breeding is an important accelerator for making starch potato cultivation more sustainable because it allows for a faster response to challenges such as changing weather conditions and potato diseases that constantly adapt to resistances. Growing better varieties faster reduces the need for crop protection products, and yields can be increased while using fertilisers more effectively.

Johan Hopman, Breeding & Research Manager at Averis: “Now that we can see the successful results of hybrid breeding, the time has come to use this technique for breeding starch potato varieties as well.”

For over twelve years, Solynta has been working on obtaining Hybrid True Potato Seed: a technical revolution that enables faster breeding. Hybrid breeding makes it possible to better control the progress of varietal properties.

Naturally occurring properties such as resistance to drought, pests and diseases can be quickly introgressed. The result is a significantly shorter development process and faster progress with the properties that are of value to Avebe’s growers.

Director Research & Development Edwin van der Vossen of Solynta: “This collaboration brings together Averis’ specific knowledge of properties and genetics for starch potato cultivation with Solynta’s hybrid breeding platform, creating a continuous stream of ever-improving varieties for Avebe’s growers.”

Source: https:https://www.avebe.com/news/royal-avebe-and-solynta-join-forces-hybrid-breeding-in-starch-potato-production/

April 13^th 2021

This technical note shows how to analyze the starch quality of different batches or starch types in a short period of time (approx. 10 min.).

Starch is the main component of wheat grains. It is stored as a compact form of glucose inside starch granules and consists of one fifth of amylose and to four fifths of amylopectin.

Heated within a suspension of water, the starch granules start to swell, whereby the water gets absorbed in an irreversible manner during the heating processes. The volume of the granules increases, and after a specific time the starch shells break. Due to water binding to amylose and amylopectin, hydration shells are forming and turning into a paste or gel. How much water can be absorbed and at which temperature the starch shells burst, depends on the individual starch type.

Knowing these individual gelatinization properties is essential for starch producers or processors. To analyze the starch quality of different batches or starch types in a short period of time (approx. 10 min.), the Brabender ViscoQuick can be used.

Source: https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/whitepaper/142593/starch-analysis-with-the-brabender-viscoquick/

March 24^th 2021

Ingredion launches ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch for indulgent textures made faster and better.

Ingredion Incorporated, a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, today announced a new addition to its extensive range of potato-based solutions for the U.S. and Canada, ULTRA-TEX® 1311 modified potato starch.

The waxy, instant starch offers food manufacturers a new way to create premium products with enhanced product appeal and cost savings potential. ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch can be used in a wide variety of traditional and alternative formulations to create indulgent textures, improve stability vs. native potato starch, or replace oil without compromising sensory appeal. The starch is especially ideal for plant-based, low-fat, reduced-fat, better-for-you and keto-friendly applications.

The easy-to-use starch exhibits high process tolerance and viscosity, excellent water-holding capacity and shelf life stability, and superior clarity in formulations. The sensory profile of ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch is characterized by a smooth, creamy texture, a rich mouthfeel and a clean flavor. Ideal applications for the ingredient include dairy desserts, bakery/fruit fillings, spreadable, spoonable and pourable dressings, sauces and other savory applications.

“The launch of ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch exemplifies Ingredion’s commitment to expanding our potato capabilities,” said John Zou, Ingredion’s business director, Potato Starch. “With our legacy Penford and Western Polymer knowledge and expertise, food manufacturers now have another potato-based option for creating differentiated products with consumer appeal and cost savings potential.”

Ingredion’s instant ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch can help eliminate cooking and shorten processing times, allowing food manufacturers to save energy, time and capital equipment costs while realizing higher production rates. The new starch can also enable cost savings and enhance nutrition in formulations by replacing fats, oils or building back texture when eggs are removed.

The ingredient’s superb thickening properties can lower overall usage levels of starch up to 30%. When used in dressings, ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch offers a potential fat reduction of up to 30%, providing manufacturers a broader range of options for replacing fat without compromising mouthfeel and texture.

ULTRA-TEX 1311 modified potato starch is sourced locally in the U.S. and is made from an ingredient (potato) that is widely accepted and recognized by consumers. Labeled as modified potato starch or food starch modified, it can support a number of appealing package claims, such as “non-corn,” “non-GMO” and “non-grain.” It’s also free from gluten at the source, does not require allergen labeling and is compatible with vegetarian, vegan, kosher and halal diets.

“Ingredion’s new modified potato starch opens new possibilities for food manufacturers to formulate more indulgent, healthier products that are clean in flavor, higher in viscosity vs. other starches and have improved clarity,” said Mabel Chacko, Ingredion’s project leader. “With Ingredion’s deep application and formulation expertise and a full range of potato texturizers, manufacturers have the knowhow they need to build-back texture, create winning consumer sensory experiences and save money.”

Source: https://www.dairyreporter.com/Article/2021/03/25/Ingredion-launches-new-modified-potato-starch

March 23^rd 2021

Vegetable starch and carbon nanotubes form the electrodes of a 3D-printed lithium-ion battery that promises a more environmentally-friendly, higher-capacity source of power for mobile devices.

This is the claim of engineers led from Glasgow University who have been looking to make lithium-ion batteries capable of storing and delivering power more efficiently and sustainably. The battery’s design and fabrication is outlined in a paper published in the Journal of Power Sources.

Lithium-ion batteries comprise a positive electrode, often made from lithium cobalt/manganese oxide or lithium iron phosphate, and a negative electrode, often made from lithium metal. During charging, lithium ions flow through an electrolyte from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. During use, the ions flow in the opposite direction.

The thickness of the electrode can limit the battery’s performance. According to Glasgow University, thicker electrodes restrict diffusion of lithium ions across the electrode, thereby limiting the specific energy of lithium-ion batteries. Increasing electrodes’ thickness also decreases their strain-tolerance, making them more prone to cracking and rendering them useless.

The Glasgow-led team’s battery has introduced nanoscale and microscale pores into their design. By covering the surface and interior of the electrodes with pores, they can greatly increase the surface area compared to a solid electrode of the same external dimensions.

To do so, they used an additive manufacturing technique to tightly control the size and placement of each and every pore in their electrodes. They loaded their 3D printer with a material they developed which combines polylactic acid, lithium-iron phosphate and carbon nanotubes. The polylactic acid is a biodegradable material processed from the starch of corn, sugar cane, and sugar beet, increasing the battery’s recyclability.

They experimented with making circular electrodes at three different thicknesses of 100, 200 and 300 microns. Each electrode was tested with different combinations of materials, varying the amount of carbon nanotubes in the material mixture from 3 to 10 per cent by weight, and the porosity from 10 to 70 per cent by introducing tightly-controlled grids of holes throughout the electrode.

The team’s 300-micron electrode battery with 70 per cent porosity performed the best during testing, with a specific capacity of 151mAh/g, which Glasgow University said is two to three times the performance of a traditional lithium-ion battery with a solid electrode of the same thickness.

The increased porosity of the thickest 300-micron electrode also influenced the battery’s areal capacity. The thicker electrode was capable of storing 4.4mAh cm−2 compared to 1.7mAh cm−2 achieved in the 100-micron electrode, a gain of 158 per cent.

The research was led by Dr Shanmugam Kumar from Glasgow University’s James Watt School of Engineering, alongside colleagues from Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, and Texas A&M University and Arizona State University in the USA.

In a statement, Dr Kumar said: “Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly common in everyday life and are likely to continue to increase in ubiquity as we move towards more electrification of transport and a more sustainable world. However, lithium-ion batteries have their own sustainability issues, so it’s important that we look to find new ways to make them better and more environmentally-friendly.

“The 3D printing process we’ve used in this research gives us a remarkable amount of control over the electrodes’ porosity, allowing us to engineer very precisely a new metamaterial capable of addressing some of the shortcomings of the current generation of lithium-ion batteries. We’ve created a battery with a high specific capacity and areal capacity with excellent cyclability.

“These are promising initial results, and we’re keen to continue to explore the possibilities that this kind of microarchitected materials offer to create better, more recyclable batteries for future consumers.”

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378775321001701?dgcid=author

March 08^th 2021

Ingredion has opened new pea based manufacturing facility in Nebraska.

Ingredion Incorporated has made two new additions to its plant-based portfolio produced at the company’s new pea protein manufacturing facility in South Sioux City, Nebraska ̶ Vitessence Pulse 1853 pea protein isolate and Purity P 1002 pea starch.

The ingredient solutions are 100 percent sustainably sourced from North American farms, enabling food and beverage manufacturers to create innovative plant-based food and beverages.

“I am incredibly proud of this milestone and our employees, particularly the team in Nebraska, who rallied together to make today a reality,” said Ingredion President and CEO Jim Zallie. “We are committed to shaping the future of plant-based food — and we’re continually investing to help our customers formulate and innovate in this rapidly developing space. I am confident that by working together, we will fulfill our purpose of bringing together the potential of people, nature and technology to make life better.”

The new pea isolate and pea starch join the company’s portfolio of plant-based proteins and ingredients, which includes the plant protein concentrates and flours produced in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan.

With the introduction of the South Sioux City, Nebraska pea protein facility, the company is now the only manufacturer in North America to offer “produced in the U.S. and Canada” plant protein isolate, concentrate, flour and starch products ranging from <10% to 85% protein on a dry basis.

These on-trend, high-quality ingredients are backed by the plant protein experts of Ingredion Idea Labs innovation centers, who bring a global reach and local knowledge to manufacturers looking to boost protein and solve texture challenges sustainably.

“The addition of higher protein pulses capitalizes on our ability to help our customers deliver consumer-preferred food and beverages to global markets,” said Jorgen Kokke, Ingredion’s executive v.p. and president, Americas. “By combining our expertise and product formulation capabilities with high-quality ingredients, we are well positioned to be a reliable supplier supporting our customers with breakthrough, innovative plant-based solutions.”

Vitessence Pulse 1853 pea protein isolate offers 85% protein (dry basis) to heighten protein content across a variety of applications and does not label as a major allergen. Sourced in North America and produced at the South Sioux City facility, the pea protein isolate enables manufacturers to meet consumer demand for increased protein delivery, clean labels and sustainable sourcing.
Purity P 1002 native pea starch combines versatility and clean-label appeal to deliver just-right texture for applications as diverse as plant based cheese, gelatin-free confectionery and gluten-free baked goods.

Source: https://www.candyindustry.com/articles/89597-ingredion-introduces-us-made-pea-protein-starch

February 25^th 2021

Tuas (Singapore) fire: The explosive danger of potato powder, sugar, flour and other dust particles.

Potato starch powder has been pinpointed as the source of a explosion at an industrial building in Tuas (Singapore) on Wednesday (Feb 24), which left three workers dead and injured seven others.

Preliminary investigations have found that the incident at 32E Tuas Avenue 11 was caused by “a combustible dust explosion”, said Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Silas Sng on Thursday.

He added that the dust in this case was potato starch in powder form. The company at the site – Stars Engrg – uses potato starch powder to manufacture its products, said Mr Sng.

As of Thursday night, five of the injured workers remain in hospital in critical condition, while two have been discharged.

CNA explains how potato starch powder – or other dust particles, including commonly found ones such as sugar or flour – can be an explosion hazard.

According to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) circular issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Division in July 2015, fine particles can combust when all five elements of a “dust explosion pentagon” are present: fuel (the combustible dust), air, dispersion, confinement and ignition source.

“It is a known scientific fact that … materials in powder form can be explosive when it is dispersed over the air,” said Mr Sng, who is also director of the Occupational Safety and Health Division, on Thursday.

“Especially when they are in an enclosed environment … with a source of ignition, you get an explosion, as you see in this case here,” he added.

In such dust explosions – which happen “often but not always in an enclosed location” – the fine particles that are suspended in air experience “rapid combustion”, said the MOM circular.

And what differentiates dust explosions from fires linked to a mass of solid material is the size of the combustible surface area.

“A mass of solid combustible materials will burn relatively slowly due to the limited surface area exposed to the air. However, when the same solid is divided into fine powder and dispersed as suspended particles in air in the form of dust cloud, the result will be quite different,” said MOM in the circular.

“In this case, the surface area exposed to the air is much larger, and if ignition occurs, the whole of the cloud may burn very rapidly. This results in a rapid release of heat and gaseous products, causing pressure to rise.”

Materials that are combustible in dust form include organic matter, such as sugar, corn starch, flour, peat, soot and cellulose pulp, according to MOM’s circular.

Various types of chemical particles are also combustible, including ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and sulphur.

Metals such as aluminium, bronze, magnesium and zinc can also catch fire in powder form, as can plastics such as resins, melamine and polymers.

The WSH commissioner on Thursday explained that combustible dust can be generated when powder is transferred, for example from a bag into a mixer.

“Over time, the dust can accumulate in the environment, especially if the ventilation or the housekeeping is inadequate,” said Mr Sng.

As such, dust control is one of the measures recommended to minimise fire risks.

The MOM circular suggested having local exhaust ventilation systems that “can capture dusts effectively to prevent unnecessary dispersion of combustible dusts where people are at work”.

Such systems can be implemented at suitable locations where materials are loaded, unloaded or transferred, while “taking care to not to have an extensive ducting network, which can cause burning materials to spread following an explosion” within the ventilation system, said MOM.

The ministry also recommended housekeeping and maintenance of dust collection system and filters, with vacuuming or wet cleaning methods preferred over sweeping methods. “Sweeping would tend to cause more dispersion of dust particles,” it said.

To prevent ignition, MOM said flame-proof equipment or non-sparking tools should be used in areas where combustible powders are handled.

Operators should also ensure effective bonding and grounding of powder handling units to prevent the accumulation of electrostatic charges, which may lead to ignition when inadvertently discharged.

Inert gases such as nitrogen can be used to reduce or eliminate the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere.

MOM also recommended other measures such as providing explosion relief to safely vent the energy in the event of an explosion, installing detectors for sparks or glowing materials, and isolating areas handling combustible dusts from other parts of the workplace.

And on top of providing training and refresher courses on combustible dust hazards, employers must equip workers with the right personal protective equipment such as fire retardant clothing and safety shoes.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/explosion-in-tuas-industrial-building-on-wednesday-claims-three-lives

February 19^th 2021

Tate & Lyle completes acquisition of tapioca business in Thailand.

Tate & Lyle has completed the acquisition of an 85% shareholding in Chaodee Modified Starch, a tapioca modified food starch manufacturer located in Thailand. The signing of a conditional agreement for this acquisition was announced on 28 October 2020.

Nick Hampton, Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues to Tate & Lyle. This acquisition extends our presence in speciality tapioca-based texturants and allows us to offer a broader range of tapioca-based solutions to meet customers’ needs for better tasting and clean label foods. It also establishes a dedicated production facility in the main tapioca area of eastern Thailand and expands our manufacturing footprint in the higher growth Asia Pacific region.”

Source: https://www.tateandlyle.com/news/tate-lyle-completes-acquisition-tapioca-business-thailand

February 04^th 2021

Gigantic Tummers washing line for Danish potato starch producer.

The results of a Tummers starch production line at a Danish starch factory are right to be called astonishing! Between September and December last year, this process line consisting of four of their biggest washing installations ran 10 hours a day, washing a mind-blowing 700,000 tonnes of potatoes.

Also, the expected yield of 130,000 tonnes of starch per season was easily exceeded by an astonishing 174,000 tonnes. A result to be proud of!

Prior to the mashing and drying of potatoes during potato starch production, their Destoner/washers receive the potatoes in order to clean them thoroughly.

The record breaking KW800-models which are running at the Danish potato starch factory are the biggest ones of their kind. These highly efficient washing machines run up to 175 tonnes per hour and are particularly known for their low-maintenance and user-friendly design.

Washing is an important step in obtaining a perfect end product. Based on many years of experience, Tummers washing systems are designed for excellent cleaning with gentle product handling and a minimal use of water.

The innovative, high-capacity destoner/washer combines the latest expertise in washing technology and was developed for 24/7 industrial use.

Source: Tummers Food Processing Solutions https://www.tummers.nl/en/productoverzicht/waslijn/ontstener-wasserunit

February 01^st 2021

Cargill is expanding its portfolio of label-friendly SimPure starches, adding tapioca starches to its existing lines of corn- and potato-sourced starches.

The new tapioca starches enable brands to create process-tolerant textures, while appealing to consumer preferences for simple, familiar ingredients. Cargill said the starches are versatile and suitable for a range of applications, including dairy and dairy alternatives, convenience sauces and ready meals, meat alternatives and pet food.

Cargill’s initial offering will feature four tapioca starches, two sold under its SimPure 996 series and two under its SimPure 999 series. The Non-GMO Project Verified texturizers share a few common traits, including a neutral flavor profile, but nuances in their functional attributes are intended to give formulators new tools for specific processing conditions and product applications.

Tapioca starches in the SimPure 996 series create soft gel textures, suitable for spoonable yogurts. The high process tolerant starches bring sensory and functional attributes together, offering a creamy mouthfeel, while delivering on water-binding properties and cold-storage stability.

The SimPure 999 series encompasses the company’s non-gelling tapioca starches, which deliver creamy, indulgent textures thanks to their fat-mimetic properties. These starches are designed for stirrable yogurts, pumpable fruit preps and other applications that require a thick-but-fluid texture. They offer cold-storage stability, controlling syneresis over shelf life and are a good choice for kettle-cooked soups, sauces and ready meals.

Erin Radermacher, Cargill’s senior technical services specialist, said, “Today’s shoppers are more discerning than ever before, with a keen interest in how their food is made. That’s why we continue to expand our SimPure line, providing our customers with advanced texturizing solutions that use familiar ingredients to address a growing range of processing challenges, all backed by our global team of technical experts.

“As we evaluate new starches, we’re careful to balance process tolerance and functional performance with other critical factors like sensory and consumer acceptance. Our new high-performing tapioca starches do it beautifully. Consumers will love how they label, and formulators will love all that they can do.”

Source: https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/cargill-adds-four-new-tapioca-starches-to-its-simpure-starch-portfolio

January 20^th 2021

cph Deutschland Chemie, has developed a new labeling adhesive based on wastewater potato starch.

cph Deutschland Chemie, in partnership with Novidon, has developed Regain, a new labeling adhesive based on wastewater potato starch ideal for the food, and in particular for the beverage industry.

The production of fries, potato chips, and other potato products generates vast amounts of starch-containing wastewater. Novidon, known for its innovative starch technologies, part of the international Duynie Group, extracts starch as a co-product released during the production of potatoes into fries and chips.

While potatoes and potato starch are used for several applications, there are two ways to produce it. The first one is starch processed traditionally from the whole potato. The second one, a completely new route, is extracting the starch from process water of the production of crisps and fries. The latter is more sustainable and more attractive for cph as edibles are not being reused.

‘This is in line with our company philosophy. For more than four decades, we at cph, work hard on developing sustainable products for our clients. In 1983 we developed the first biodegradable labeling adhesive. We were the first company to offer labeling adhesives free of phenolic compounds, heavy metals, and formaldehyde. Besides, we have optimized our production and supply chain. For example, we are using rainwater for production and 100 percent green energy. Hence, our new product based on potato starch as a co-product released during the production of potato products is a great extension of our portfolio,’ said Dr Gerwin Schüttpelz, CEO of cph Deutschland Chemie.

Source: https://www.cph-group.com/en/2020/09/01/european-neighbourhood-partnership-sealed/