Foods containing thermally-inhibited starches and flours

A method for preparing a food composition which is to be thickened or gelled by heating, which comprises the step of adding to one or more food ingredients, prior to heating the food ingredients, a thermally-inhibited, ungelatinized granular starch or flour.

A method for preparing a food composition which is to be extended, thickened, or gelled without heating, which comprises the step of adding to one or more food ingredients, a thermally-inhibited granular starch which is prepared by dehydrating a pregelatinized granular starch or flour to anhydrous or substantially anhydrous and subsequently heat heating the anhydrous or substantially anhydrous starch for a time and at a temperature sufficient to inhibit the starch or which is prepared by dehydrating an ungelatinized granular starch to anhydrous or substantially anhydrous, heat treating the anhydrous or substantially anhydrous starch for a time and at a temperature sufficient to inhibit the starch, and pregelatinizing the inhibited starch.

A method for preparing a liquid-containing food composition which is initially kettle-cooked, added to a container, and retorted or ultra high temperature processed, which method comprises the step of adding to the food, prior to or during the initial kettle cooking, an effective amount of a heat penetration starch which is a thermally-inhibited, chemically crosslinked ungelatinized starch which develops little or no viscosity during the kettle cooking, but which increases in viscosity during the retorting or ultra high temperature processing.

A method for preparing a liquid-containing food composition which is initially kettle-cooked, added to a container, and retorted or ultra high temperature processed, prior to or during the initial kettle cooking, an effective amount of a heat penetration starch which is a thermally-inhibited, ungelatinized granular starch which develops little or no viscosity during the kettle cooking, but which increases in viscosity during the retorting or ultra high temperature processing.

A method for preparing a thermally processed food composition which contains a liquid and particulates and which is initially kettle-cooked, added to a container, and subsequently retorted or ultra high temperature processed, which method comprises the step of adding to the food, prior to or during the initial kettle-cooking, an effective amount of a fill viscosity starch which is a thermally-inhibited, derivatized starch which develops sufficient viscosity during the kettle cooking to uniformly suspend the particulates in the liquid during the addition of the food to the container but which, during the subsequent retorting or ultra high temperature processing, drops in viscosity.

A food composition which comprises a food in combination with a thermally-inhibited, pregelatinized granular starch or flour which is prepared by pregelatinizing a granular starch or flour, dehydrating the pregelatinized granular starch or flour to anhydrous or substantially anhydrous, and heat treating the anhydrous or substantially anhydrous pregelatinized starch or flour for a time and at a temperature sufficient to inhibit the pregelatinized starch or flour.

A food composition which comprises a food in combination with a thermally-inhibited, pregelatinized granular starch or flour which is prepared by dehydrating an ungelatinized granular starch or flour to anhydrous or substantially anhydrous, heat treating the anhydrous or substantially anhydrous starch or flour for a time and at a temperature sufficient to inhibit the ungelatinized starch or flour, and pregelatinizing the inhibited ungelatinized starch or flour.