Starch hydrolysate

Description

Starch hydrolysate is a collective term for products of the conversion of sugar into starch; in some cases it is also understood to be a special enzymatically modified potato starch.

• See also:starch, modified starch

Application

See individual products of the conversion of sugar into starch:

• fructose syrup
• glucose syrup, dextrose
• maltitol, sorbitol, maltodextrin and others

Gene technology

The use of GM technology is possible with the vegetable sources of starch, especially during the making of the enzymes, with which the starch is decomposed and modified.

• Maize starch can contain a certain percentage of GM maize, in particular when the primary product was imported from the USA or Argentina. In the EU, genetically modified maize is grown on a comparativelly small area and nonetheless is not used as raw material for foodstuff. This may change in the case that the cultivation of GM maize increases in significance. Ingredients derived from several types of GM maize are approved in the EU.
  Soon also: starch from potatoes or wheat.
• Enzymes: the enzymatic breakdown and the modification of the starch are mainly carried out using amylases and other enzymes (glucose-isomerase, pullulanase). These are mainly made with genetically modified microorganisms.

Labelling: starch and/ or starch hydrolysate directly made from genetically modified plants (corn, potatoes) is liable to be labelled. It is still not entirely clarified if this also applies to starch hydrolysate that is made by starch in several processing stages.

Generally, enzymes (and the manner in which they were produced) are not mentioned on the list of ingredients.