What makes starch from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers unique: A review.

The use of starch in food systems in many instances relies on its thickening and gelling capacity. When native starches fail to match process and/or product-specific requirements, starches are physically and/or chemically modified to meet end-use demands. Evidently, differences between starches of varying botanical origin have to be considered when selecting or modifying starches for particular applications. Potato starch (PS) ranks third in world production after maize and wheat starches. Its unique properties differ from those of cereal and pulse starches and are directly related to its molecular structure and organization. This review summarizes the differences between PS and cereal and pulse starches and how they set it apart in terms of gelatinization, pasting, gelation, and retrogradation. Recent advances in improving PS pasting and gelation using enzyme technology and mineral ions are also described.

Transformations and functional role of starch during potato crisp making: A review.

Potato chips are a major product in the savory snack market and are consumed worldwide because of their enjoyable and distinctive organoleptic properties. They are conventionally produced by deep-frying thin slices of fresh potato. In contrast, potato crisps are manufactured from dried potato derivatives such as potato flakes (PFs). Their production is reviewed in this manuscript and requires the formation of dough based on hydrated PFs. Expansion of the dough during deep-frying provides the crisps with their desired crunchy texture. As part of an overall trend, the consumer search for calorie-reduced food products has also stimulated research to lower oil uptake during crisp production. However, minimizing oil absorption without losing the characteristic palatability of deep-fried products is challenging and requires fundamental knowledge on factors determining product texture and oil absorption. The transformations and functional role of starch, potato's main constituent, during crisp making are key in this respect and are reviewed here.