Stärkelsen

Stärkelsen is the definite form of the Swedish noun stärkense, commonly referred to in English as starch. It designates a carbohydrate derived from plant sources that is widely used as a thickening agent in food and as a raw material in various industrial processes. In everyday language, stärkelse denotes the purified carbohydrate powder obtained from plants such as corn, potatoes, cassava, rice, or wheat.

Chemically, starch is a polysaccharide composed of glucose units and is stored in plant amyloplasts as granules. The two main components are amylose and amylopectin, whose relative amounts influence properties such as gelling, thickening, and transparency. When heated in water, starch granules swell and eventually gelatinize, increasing viscosity and forming a paste. Different starches have distinct gelatinization temperatures and textures, which is why maize, potato, and tapioca starches are chosen for specific culinary and industrial applications.

Sources and processing: Commercial starch is refined from crops such as maize (corn), potatoes, cassava (tapioca), rice, and wheat. The production typically involves extraction, washing, drying, and milling to produce a fine white powder used in a wide range of products. Starch can be modified chemically or enzymatically to alter its thickening power, stability, or clear color.

Applications: In food, stärkelse acts as a thickener, stabilizer, or texture enhancer in sauces, gravies, puddings, soups, and gluten-free products. Outside the kitchen, it serves as an adhesive, a textile and paper processing agent, and a pharmaceutical excipient or filler in tablets and capsules.

Nutrition and safety: Starch provides dietary energy (carbohydrates) and is generally gluten-free when derived from corn, potato, or cassava, though cross-contamination with gluten-containing grains can occur. Proper storage in a dry environment helps prevent clumping and spoilage.