Low swelling starch

Abstract

This invention pertains to low swelling starches and their use as food texture modifiers. The invention further pertains to the method of using low swelling starches as fat substitutes in foods. The low swelling starches provide opacity, mouth-coating, and creaminess to foods.

1 . A starch having a swelling volume of from 7 to 12 ml/g and a soluble fraction less than 20%. 
   
   
       2 . The starch of  claim 1 , wherein the swelling volume is from 9 to 12 ml/g. 
   
   
       3 . The starch of  claim 1 , wherein the swelling volume is from 9 to 10 ml/g. 
   
   
       4 . The starch of  claim 1 , wherein the starch has a bound phosphorus content of 0.01 to 0.24% by weight. 
   
   
       5 . The starch of  claim 1 , wherein the starch has been inhibited. 
   
   
       6 . The starch of  claim 5 , wherein the inhibition is thermal. 
   
   
       7 . The starch of  claim 5 , wherein the inhibition is by crosslinking using at least one reagent selected from the group consisting of sodium trimetaphosphate, a mixture of sodium trimetaphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate, phosphorous oxychloride, epihydrochloride, and adipic-acetic anhydride. 
   
   
       8 . The starch of  claim 7 , wherein the starch has been crosslinked with sodium trimetaphosphate or a mixture of sodium trimetaphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate. 
   
   
       9 . The starch of  claim 8 , wherein the starch has been crosslinked using phosphorous oxychloride. 
   
   
       10 . The starch of  claim 5 , in which the average particle size does not differ significantly from the average particle size of the unmodified starch. 
   
   
       11 . A food composition comprising the starch of  claim 1 , and at least one additional edible component. 
   
   
       12 . The food composition of  claim 11 , wherein the edible component is water. 
   
   
       13 . The food composition of  claim 11 , wherein the fat content has been reduced. 
   
   
       14 . The food composition of  claim 13 , wherein the fat content is substantially zero. 
   
   
       15 . A method of preparing a food composition comprising replacing at least some of the fat typically used in such food composition with the starch of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the starch replaces 25-75% of the fat by weight typically used in the composition. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the starch replaces 40-60% of the fat by weight typically used in the composition. 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . In a food composition comprising a fat, the improvement comprising substituting at least some of the fat with the starch of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       21 . In a method of retorting a food composition comprising a retort starch, the improvement comprising substituting at least some of the retort starch with the starch of  claim 1 , wherein the substitution reduces the retort time by at least 20%. 
   
   
       22 . (canceled)