Thickening & Binding Agents
Thickening Agents give body, consistency and potability when used, when used. They improve the nutritive value. Flavored liquids are thickened and converted into soups, sauces, curries, mousses, puddings, etc. Binding Agents are used to form a mixture of ingredients into a cohesive mass. The thickening agents are starch, agar, eggs, gelatin, coconut, tamarind, curd, poppy seeds, onion paste, coriander power, etc. starch is the reserve carbohydrate of plants and is abundant in common food: corn, rice, wheat, potatoes, arrowroot, and tapioca; rice has about 80 per cent starch, wheat 70 per cent and potatoes about 19 per cent starch. Starch is classified into cereal starches, root starches and instant starches. Cereal starch is found in rice, wheat and maize. ( Thickening And Binding Agents ) When cooked , corn wheat, or rice, begins to gelatinize at about 710c (160oF) but requires about 85-96oc (185-205oF) for maximum thickening. Cereal starches, when cooked and cool