Adipate is a dicarboxylic acid that is commonly used in the food industry for various purposes, including as a plasticizer, cross-linking agent, and flavoring agent. In modified starch, adipate is often used to form crosswise bindings between the neighboring chains of glucose residues, which improves the starch’s properties for various applications.
One example of modified starch that contains adipate is acetylated distarch adipate (E1422), which is defined as starch cross-linked with adipic anhydride and esterified with acetic anhydride. This modification results in the formation of adipate groups that form crosswise bindings between adjacent chains of glucose residues. According to the EU purity criteria, the content of adipate in acetylated distarch adipate is limited to a maximum of 0.135%. In general, the concentration is below 0.09%, corresponding to one adipyl molecule per 1,000 glucose units.
The use of adipate in modified starch has several benefits. Adipate cross-linking improves the acid resistance, salt tolerance, and viscosity breakdown properties of the modified starch, compared to native starch. This makes modified starches with adipate useful for a variety of applications, including in soups, sauces, and bakery products.
It is important to note that excessive consumption of adipate can be harmful to human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 7.5 mg/kg of body weight for adipate. This means that a person weighing 60 kg should not consume more than 450 mg of adipate per day.
In conclusion, adipate is an important component of modified starches, providing improved properties for various food applications. However, it is essential to ensure that the content of adipate in modified starch is within safe limits for human consumption.