The ever-so-versatile potato starch has found extensive uses in commercial food production. Over the centuries, home cooks emerging from various cultures have incorporated potato starch in their recipes. It has quite comprehensive uses, not only in the food industry but also in health, dietary supplements, and beauty aspects. This blog will walk you through the uses of potato starch in unique ways across the Globe.
Potato Starch
Potato starch is a complex carb obtained from the roots, seeds, and tubers of potatoes. The starchy potato offers the finest quality potato starch which further finds its use in domestic and commercial industries. The properties of potato starch being tasteless and odorless makes it extremely versatile to use. Moreover, it is a brilliant thickening agent, stabilizer, and gelling component which is absolutely gluten-free.
To offer a rough overview, potato starch is obtained by crushing the potatoes. The starch is then washed from the crushed potato and put to dry. It is then ground to a fine powder and tested for quality. It then finds its place in the marketplace for commercial and home uses.
Different industrial and domestic uses of potato starch.
1. Food Industry
The most extensive use of potato starch lies in the food industry. It is in many cases a better alternative to other starches like cornstarch, wheat starch, and maize starch while in some cases the other starches make for a better choice. Let’s understand the different uses of Potato starch in the cooking industry.
● Potato starch as a thickener
Potato starch is used as a thickener to thicken gravies, fillings, soups, sauces, stews, casseroles, and pie fillings. This is because potato starch swells and ruptures when they come in contact with water. The starch molecules leach out, thereby adding thickness to whatever dish it is added to.
Potato starch is perfect for gravies and sauces that need to be stored for longer times. This particular starch has low retrogradation and can resist syneresis, hence making it perfect for sauces that need to be frozen and thawed frequently.
Potato starch is pure starch and has a lower lipid and protein profile. This property of potato starch gives gravies and sauces a glossy and silky texture. Moreover, it has a clean neutral flavor and a clear consistency helping the gravies and soups to retain their color.
Potato starch should be dispersed in cold water to prevent clumps and a smooth gel-like texture. Also, potato starch should not be subjected to long hours of heating or boiling. When introduced towards the end of cooking, it thickens the gravy and leaves it smooth and glossy.
● Potato Starch for baking
Potato starch has an exceptional binding capacity. When used in baked goods, it enhances the shelf life of bakery goods. Moreover, potato starch is absolutely gluten-free. Hence, it makes a perfect replacement for wheat flour in recipes.
Potato starch is used in the baking of cookies and crackers to get a crispy delicate texture. Manage the proportion of potato starch for dry ingredients and get beautifully baked goods. However, excess potato starch in baking recipes can cause the cookies, muffins, and bread to get dry and crumbly.
● Potato Starch for frying
Potato starch offers the perfect crispy golden texture to foods when deep fried. It is used as a coating to coat chicken, vegetables, and fish to get a non-greasy light crispy outer layer.
● Potato Starch for transparency
Potato starch forms a clear gel-like texture that does not affect the transparency and opacity of the dish. It is therefore used in delicate food items like pie fillings that need to retain their beautiful gloss and color.
Potato starch performs as a colorless agent when used in foods.
2. Potato Starch for health
Potato starch offers varying health benefits that must not be overlooked.
● Potato starch enhances insulin resistance and is often used in health supplements meant to regulate blood sugar levels.
● The resistant starch in potato starch acts as a dietary fiber. It improves gut health by restoring ph balance.
● Potato starch contains high levels of phosphorus which empowers the kidneys to eliminate toxins efficiently.
3. Potato Starch for beauty
The rejuvenating properties of potato starch cannot be stressed enough.
● Masks made from potato starch add a brilliant shine and radiance to your face.
● Potato starch has the ability to fight the signs of premature aging by adding firmness and elasticity to your skin.
● Potato starch can be used on acne scars and blemishes to reduce their prominent appearance.
● Potato starch offers skin-lightening properties and is an active ingredient used in Korean and Japanese skincare regimens.
● Potato starch works as an excellent exfoliator that helps buff away dead skin cells.
Conclusion
The versatile and finest potato starch offers endless use in arrays of different industries. The quality of potato starch highly translates the results it is meant to offer. At Nilkanth Exports, we export the highest quality food-grade potato starch globally we’re leading Potato starch manufacturers in India. Connect with us to know more.
