Processing and Application of Starch in Food in Japan

Author(s): Tomoya Shintani

Starch is the most common carbohydrate in human diet, and its major sources worldwide are cereals and root vegetables. As starch is inexpensive and easy to process chemically, many starch-based products have been developed. Modified starch has been contributing to a rich diet for several years. Asia, especially Japan, has always led the way in research and development pertaining to starch, including the application of glucoamylase in glucose production, endorsement of high fructose syrup, and application of glucose isomerase in fructose production. Additionally, erythritol, D-allulose, trehalose, and resistant maltodextrin were the representative starch-derived molecules to be commercialized and are now consumed globally. More novel healthy starch-based products will continue to be discovered in the future. In this review, we describe the current status of processing and utilization of starch.