Page 37 - FoodFocusThailand No.241 May 2026

SPECIAL FOCUS FOCUS
SPECIAL

PREGELATINIZED STARCH:

ENHANCING QUALITY AND TEXTURE

IN MODERN FOODS

Having limited time or temperature to ensure well-cooked starch in order to get the
maximum functionalities? Pregelatinized starch may be the answer to overcome your
process limitations or a solution for your new product launches. Pregelatinized starch
is basically starch that has already been precooked via spray-drying or drum-drying to
the ideal stage so as to provide you with the maximum functionalities.

Key Benefits of Pregelatinized Starch
The key benefits of pregelatinized starch include:
• Cold-water solubility
a • Instant thickening or viscosity build-up without heating
• Provides smooth and creamy texture
• Provides long-term shelf stability
• Can be manufactured from any modified starch base
• Provides resistance to processing if secondary heating
treatment or processing is required
• Can be applied across multiple food categories from sauces,
soups, dressings, snacks, powdered beverages to bakery fillings
as well as cakes

Savoury Applications (Sauces, Soups & Dressings)
For instant soups or sauces, adding pregelatinized starch to the
formulation provides the required instant thickening when either hot
or cold water is added, making it an essential ingredient for food
manufacturers developing such products.
In the manufacturing of cold-processed salad dressings, no
heat treatment will be involved thus pregelatinized starch will be
the ideal thickening solution. Besides providing the desired high
viscosity, pregelatinized starch will also contribute to creaminess Bakery Applications
and smoothness of the dressings. When added into dressings, Pregelatinized starch can be applied to bakery
pregelatinized starch will also be one of the key ingredients to applications such as bakery fillings or cakes especially
ensure shelf-stability and preventing gelling or water syneresis during long shelf life cakes. In bakery fillings, due to the high
storage, both at ambient and chilled conditions. solids content, cook-up starches are normally very
difficult to be well-cooked and thus viscosity and stability
could be compromised. When pregelatinized starch is
used, since it has already been pre-cooked to the ideal
stage, we could rest assured that the optimum viscosity
and stability is obtained. In cakes, pregelatinized starch
is often recommended to provide the desired softness,
small and even crumb cell structure as well as maintain
the moistness during storage.
Pregelatinized starch is highly versatile with multiple
key benefits that enhances product quality across
various applications. Its unique properties, such as cold-
water solubility and thickening, together with ensuring
shelf-stability, makes it an essential ingredient for
modern formulations for convenience and innovation.

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(This infographic was generated using AI to support the content of this article.)
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