Turn to One of the Most Trusted Corn Starch Suppliers in the Philippines

Introduction

Corn starch has a place in every residential, commercial, or industrial space because of its various applications. It is used as a thickening agent in soups, stir-fries, and sauces and is vital to manufacturing specific products. Due to how often people use this powdery substance, you must find a reliable corn starch supplier in the Philippines to provide you with the amount you need at a competitive price.

With the help of Wills International Sales Corporation, you don’t need to worry about running out of this ingredient. Our team takes great pride in being a reliable supply chain partner for various local manufacturing companies. We offer food specialties, commodities, non-food products, chemicals, and raw materials.

What is Corn Starch?

Discovering a way to isolate endosperms while working in a wheat factory in New Jersey, Thomas Kingsford invented corn starch in 1842. His invention was initially used for laundry, adding crispiness and structure to people’s clothes and creating higher resistance to wrinkling and soiling for their garments. As an effect, people had less of a need to iron their shirts and trousers.

Corn starch is a carbohydrate extracted from the endosperm found at the center of the corn kernel. It is made up of 27% amylose and 73% amylopectin. However, this ratio varies slightly depending on the corn variety it is made from as well as the environmental and soil conditions the plant was grown in. Waxy maize is nearly 100% amylopectin, while amylomaize corn can contain amylose as high as 70%.

How Is Corn Starch Different From the Other Types of Starches?

Starch is a white, granular, and organic chemical that all green plants produce. It is a tasteless white powder that is insoluble in cold water, alcohol, and other solvents.

Since there are various kinds of starches available in the market, it may be hard for others to tell them apart. Here is a list of the different types of starches and how they differ from one another:

Corn Starch

Aside from being used as a thickening agent, corn starch is a helpful anti-cacking agent for packaged goods, such as cheese. It coats whatever it is added to and helps absorb moisture and condensation, ensuring that the product remains dry or free-flowing. Furthermore, it is used to make sugars like corn syrup.

Cassava Starch

Also known as tapioca starch, cassava starch is obtained from the roots of the cassava plant. The central pith of the cassava roots is the starch-reserve flesh and can range in starch content from 15% to 33%. Compared to corn starch, cassava starch works best when added at the end of the cooking rather than during the initial stages.

Arrowroot Starch

This type of starch is extracted from the arrowroot plant. It is a grain-free ingredient, making it perfect for gluten-free baking or cooking. Unlike corn starch, most companies skip the high heat and chemical extraction process when extracting arrowroot starch. Removing the arrowroot starch more directly helps keep this powder chemical-free.

Wheat Starch

Made from hydrated flour, wheat starch is a polysaccharide containing a large number of glucose molecules. It is the major component of pasta, and it represents approximately 70% of its weight. The main difference with corn starch is that wheat starch contains gluten, which means those who are allergic to this protein cannot consume any dish containing wheat starch.

Rice Starch

With a very fine granularity, rice starch has granules about the same size as fat globules, making it a possible fat replacer. Once your heat it with water, it forms a gel that has a smooth and creamy texture. Since it has minuscule granules, you may have to use twice as much rice starch as corn starch to get the same result.

Potato Starch

Containing typical large oval spherical granules, potato starch is gluten-free, easy to cook with, and completely tasteless. It acts as a binding agent when added to baked goods and helps in creating a moist and chewy texture for your food. However, when using potato starch as a corn starch substitute, it would be better to use it in recipes that do not require a longer cooking time.

How is Corn Starch Made?

The corn used for milling starch isn’t like the corn we eat on the cob. There are various breeds abundant with sugar that are meant for eating fresh. However, the kind meant for milling is starchy rather than sweet. It is left on the corn until it’s stone hard.

This type of corn isn’t easy to work with, so the first step people take to extract the starch is to soak the corn kernels for a day or two. Water loosens the husks and moistens the rest of the grain, making the crop ready for the rest of the process.

Afterward, the corn goes through a series of screens to separate the grain into various parts. The hull and germ are removed to be processed into corn bran and oil. At the same time, the endosperm is separated so that it can be used as the raw material for fermentation and transformation into dextrose.

What’s left is a wet substance that is primarily made up of water and starch. The liquid will then be drained out and replaced with fresh water to wash the starches until they’re pure. Finally, the starch is milled into a fine powder before being packaged and shipped for selling.