Modified starch, also called starch derivatives, are prepared by physically, enzymatically, or chemically treating native starch to change its properties. Modified starches are used in practically all starch applications, such as in food products as a thickening agent, stabilizer or emulsifier; in pharmaceuticals as a disintegrant; as binder in coated paper. They are also used in many other applications.Starches are modified to enhance their performance in different applications. Starches may be modified to increase their stability against excessive heat, acid, shear, time, cooling, or freezing; to change their texture; to decrease or increase their viscosity; to lengthen or shorten gelatinization time; or to increase their visco-stability.Pre-gelatinized starch is used to thicken instant desserts, allowing the food to thicken with the addition of cold water or milk. Similarly, cheese sauce granules (such as in Macaroni and Cheese or lasagna) or gravy granules may be thickened with boiling water without the product going lumpy. Commercial pizza toppings containing modified starch will thicken when heated in the oven, keeping them on top of the pizza, and then become runny when cooled.A suitably modified starch is used as a fat substitute for low-fat versions of traditionally fatty foods, e.g., reduced-fat hard salami having about 1/3 the usual fat content. For such uses, it is an alternative to the product Olestra.Modified starch is added to frozen products to prevent them from dripping when defrosted. Modified starch, bonded with phosphate, allows the starch to absorb more water and keeps the ingredients together. Modified starch acts as an emulsifier for French dressing by enveloping oil droplets and suspending them in the water. Acid-treated starch forms the shell of jelly beans. Oxidized starch increases the stickiness of batter.Carboxymethylated starches are used as a wallpaper adhesive, as textile printing thickener, as tablet disintegrants and excipients in the pharmaceutical industry.Cationic starch is used as wet end sizing agent in paper manufacturing.
| Applications | Products | Starch Type |
| Emulsion Stabilizer | Flavor emulsions, beverage clouds, bakery emulsions, vitamin suspensions and liquid foods containing oils and fats. | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch |
| Microencapsulation | Flavors, oils and fats, vitamins | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch |
| Beverage | Liquid and dry mix beverages including milk shakes, milk tea, milk based drinks, soy based drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, instant coffees, instant soymilks, instant sesame soups, instant milk tea | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch |
| Condiment | Jams, pie fillings, tomato sauces, salad dressings, oyster sauce, barbecue sauce, soups, gravies | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch |
| Meat products | Sausages, meat balls, fish balls, crab sticks, meat anologues | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch |
| Dairy products | Yogurts, ice creams, sour creams, yogurt base drinks, flavored milks, puddings, frozen desserts, cream sauce, cheese sauce | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch, modified potato starch |
| Noodles and pastas | Frozen noodles, dumplings, vermicelli and other frozen pastries | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch, modified potato starch |
| Confectionery | Jelly gum, chewing gum, coated candy, compressed tablet confectionery, and other confections | Modified potato starch |
| Batters, breadings and coatings | Coated peanuts, fried foods, such as battered or breaded meat, poultry or seafood products | Modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, modified waxy maize starch |