According to R&D manager Stephen Smith, they are more cost effective than many other starches and are useful for a range of applications.
Smith told FoodNavigator-USA: “If you look at the marketplace, it is a very large area…These are used a lot in soups, sauces and gravies, and in meat. They are great viscosifiers, and in meats, they are used for binding and yield.”
Penford president John Randall said that the new corn starches could be used in many other areas, including coatings, protein, dairy and gluten-free products.
‘Pivotal’ role for gluten-free
Smith said that the company’s R&D staff has been doing a lot of work with gluten-free formulations in particular.
“It works very well within that area,” he said. “We get requests every day for gluten free. It is an area where starches play a pivotal role…When you take out gluten, there is a certain type of functionality that you lose. The starch helps give you structure.”
Randall added: “We are very excited about this segment, and are supporting it with additional manufacturing capabilities, and through our ability to partner with our customers on new product development with exceptional R&D support.”
Penford’s corn starches include PenBind Waxy Maize 1700 Series, with functions including good stability, smooth texture and clarity; PenCling Waxy Maize 700 Series, which the company says provides good acid/pH stability, smooth and creamy texture, sheen and clarity; PenPlus Waxy Maize Pregel Corn Series for instant viscosity, smooth texture and clarity; PenCling 260 for adhesion and uniform batter coating and crispness; and PenCook and PenPlus Unmodified Waxy Maize and Dent Corn Starches, which are natural viscosifiers for smooth and creamy textures.