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Did you know how starch changes during cooking and releases sweetness?
Starch, the most common energy storage substance in the plant kingdom, holds unexpected potential for change. During the cooking process, starch not only makes food more delicious and tasty, but also involves amazing chemical changes, ultimately releasing sweetness to satisfy our taste buds.
The main components of starch include straight-chain starch (amylose) and branched-chain starch (amylopectin). In our diet, branched starch usually dominates.
Composition and properties of starch
Starch is the form of sugar stored in plants and is mainly composed of two parts: amylopectin and amylose. Depending on the source, the composition of starch will vary, and the content of amylopectin is usually between 70-80%, which makes it capable of rapid hydrolysis. When food is cooked, starch molecules absorb water and swell, becoming softer and ultimately giving the food a richer taste.
During the heating process, amylopectin will bind to digestive enzymes at its many endpoints, allowing the starch to be quickly broken down and release sweetness.
Changes in starch during cooking
When we cook starch, the rise in temperature causes the starch to expand and gelatinize. During this process, under a certain moisture environment, the molecular structure inside the starch granules begins to break down and form a gelatinous substance, which explains why the taste of hot food is significantly different from that of cold food.
Learn more cooking tipsThe process of releasing sweetness
The glucose units in starch are released through hydrolysis, and this change makes starch taste sweet in our mouth. This sweetness is further enhanced by reducing sugars such as glucose and maltose that are produced when heated. The Maillard reaction also occurs during this process, which can enhance the aroma and taste of food. Due to the branched structure of starch, it can adapt to a variety of cooking environments, making everything diverse and rich.
ConclusionStarch hydrolysis is not only the key to reshaping the appearance of food, but also to improving its taste.
Through the cooking process, starch not only changes its physical properties, but also exudes an attractive sweet taste. This change process is not only amazing, but also reveals the importance and mystery of starch in cooking. With so much preparation skills and science, have you thought about how to better utilize the changes in starch in your next cooking?
