Maize starch, more commonly known as corn flour, is a by-product of corn (or maize) being processed for various substances. A type of carbohydrate, maize starch is extracted from corn, and is white in color and available in a powdered form.
It is incredibly versatile, with uses in the home as well as industrial uses. However, it’s primary use is as a thickening agent for glazes, pies, soups, casseroles, and sauces, etc.
Because it’s a gluten-free product, maize starch is used as an alternative to flour thickener in many recipes. But like all things, it’s important to know the best way to use maize starch, to get the best results with it. Here are some tips and suggestions for storing and using maize starch.
How to store maize starch
To store maize starch, it’s important you keep it in an airtight container because of how easy the starch absorbs water. So, by putting it in an airtight container it won’t be exposed to ambient humidity.
It’s also necessary to keep it away from extreme heat. The best way to store maize starch is by keeping it in a sealed container in a cool, dry place. If you do this, it can last indefinitely.
How should maize starch be used?
When using maize or maize starch it should be mixed in cool or room temperature liquids. Once it’s completely mixed then it can be heated into a thickening agent.
People prefer maize starch over flour for thickening because the gel that’s made from maize starch and water is transparent rather than the opaque color you get when using flour. The other advantage is that you only need about half as much maize starch as you would regular flour.
The starch is also used to great effect for coating pies, tarts, and desserts before baking them. Doing this will result in a thin layer of maize starch mixing with fruit juices and then gets thickened during the baking process. The advantage of doing this is it prevents desserts from having a watery or runny type of mixture.
This is also why maize starch is used as an anti-caking agent. Shredded cheese is often coated over a very thin layer of starch to prevent the cheese from becoming clumped.
It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t want to freeze sauces or other kinds of mixes that are thickened using maize starch. If you do, it will break down the gelatinized starch matrix, which will cause the mix to become thin.
Want to purchase maize starch in bulk?
Maize starch is an incredibly versatile product, with many commercial and home uses. Gujarat Ambuja Exports offer a variety of maize starch products to suit any, and all needs. If you are interested in buying maize starch in bulk, you can contact us. Our friendly sales team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
