Starch production and industrial use

This review of starch is concerned with its industrial uses, origins and structure. The current demand for starch is met by a restricted range of crops, the most important of which are potatoes, maize, wheat and tapioca. Improvements in the properties of starches for industrial uses can be achieved through chemical and physical modification of extracted starch and through the manipulation of starch biosynthesis in the plant itself. We examine starch structure and composition in relation to its use and exploitation by industry. The current understanding of physiological and biochemical mechanisms influencing starch formation in higher plants is described. This information is set in the context of the need to know the physical/chemical specification for each individual starch and to understand the genetic control of these characteristics in order to identify target genes for manipulation.