Inhibited waxy starches and methods of using them

A food product including an inhibited waxy tapioca starch having

• an amylopectin content in the range of 90-100%;
• and
• a sedimentation volume in the range of 18-35 mL/g;
• wherein
• the amylopectin fraction of the inhibited waxy tapioca starch has no more than 48.5% medium-length branches having a chain length (degree of polymerization) from 13-24 as measured by the valley-to-valley method, and/or
• at least 28.0% short-length branches having a chain length from 6-12 as measured by the valley-to-valley method, and/or
• the ratio (DP13-24−DP6-12)/(DP13-24+DP6-12) is no more than 25.5%, in which DP13-24 is the amount in the amylopectin fraction of the inhibited waxy tapioca starch of medium-length branches having the chain length from 13-24, and DP6-12 is the amount in the amylopectin fraction of the inhibited waxy tapioca starch of short-length branches having the chain length from 6-12 as measured by the valley-to-valley method;
• and
• wherein the inhibited waxy tapioca starch is prepared by adjusting an aqueous slurry of a tapioca starch feedstock to a pH in the range of 3.5-7.0 followed by drying and heating the pH-adjusted starch and is not pregelatinized;
• and
• wherein the food product is a soup, sauce or dressing.