No one gets the lump with this starch

Manufacturers now have access to a new line of potato starches that can thicken powdered food at any temperature without making it lumpy. Paselli Ez-Sperse, from global starch firm Avebe Food, can be used in instant soups, sauces and gravies and causes immediate viscosity increases no matter what temperature the product is prepared at.

Jaap Harkema, marketing manager, says the product has "excellent simmer-, refrigeration- and freeze/thaw stability". The firm claims that the product is cost effective because foods require a smaller dosage than with other starches and greater viscosity is achieved on a weight-for-weight basis compared to using other corn-based products.

"Instant products made with Paselli Ez-Sperse starches will not continue to thicken if the preparer of the food product gets interrupted or there is a delay in consuming the end product, whereas competitive starch products can get too thick if there is a delay in consumption," says Harkema.

The cold water swelling starch is cooked and then spray dried, which avoids agglomeration (lumpiness). Avebe says the starch has "excellent dispersability and a clean flavour profile"