Corn Starch

Corn starch’s ready availability and low cost continue to make it a popular ingredient in prepared foods.

While non-grain starches are currently observing their heyday, native corn starch still performs important thickening and texturizing functions in a variety of fresh and frozen foods. It is commonly added to soups, sauces, gravies, and pie fillings to achieve the desired consistency.

Corn starch is also used as a binder in processed meat and seafood dishes, helping to hold the product together and improve mouthfeel. In low-fat or low-sugar products, corn starch can replace the volume lost when fat or sugar is reduced, helping to maintain the original texture and mouthfeel of the product. In battered and breaded foods, a corn starch coating creates a crisp, golden crust when fried.

There has also been increased demand in recent years for a variety of non-GMO corn starches, with dent corn, waxy corn, and high-amylose corn being among those frequently sought out for us in bakery products, snacks, batters, and breadings.

Corn starch is one of several starches that North Central provides, the others being:

• Potato Starch
• Rice Starch
• Tapioca Starch