Editing Starch (section)

===Industrial processing===
The starch industry extracts and refines starches from crops by wet grinding, washing, sieving and drying. Today, the main commercial refined starches are [[cornstarch]], [[tapioca]], arrowroot,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/arrowroot |title=Arrowroot recipes |website=BBC Food |author=Hemsley + Hemsley |access-date=13 August 2017 |archive-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803191901/http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/arrowroot |url-status=live }}</ref> and wheat, rice, and [[potato starch]]es. To a lesser extent, sources of refined starch are sweet potato, sago and mung bean. To this day, starch is extracted from more than 50 types of plants.

Crude starch is processed on an industrial scale to [[maltodextrin]] and glucose syrups and fructose syrups.  These massive conversions are mediated by a variety of enzymes, which break down the starch to varying extents.  Here breakdown involves hydrolysis, i.e. cleavage of bonds between sugar subunits by the addition of water. Some sugars are isomerized. The processes have been described as occurring in two phases: liquefaction and saccharification.  The liquefaction converts starch into [[dextrin]]s.  [[Amylase]] is a key enzyme for producing dextrin. The saccharification converts dextrin into maltoses and glucose. Diverse enzymes are used in this second phase, including [[pullanase]] and other amylases.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0168-1656(01)00407-2 |title=Properties and applications of starch-converting enzymes of the α-amylase family |date=2002 |last1=Van Der Maarel |first1=Marc J.E.C |last2=Van Der Veen |first2=Bart |last3=Uitdehaag |first3=Joost C.M |last4=Leemhuis |first4=Hans |last5=Dijkhuizen |first5=L. |journal=Journal of Biotechnology |volume=94 |issue=2 |pages=137–155 |pmid=11796168 |s2cid=32090939 |url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/14695142/2002JBiotechnolvdMaarel.pdf }}</ref>

[[File:Stärkemehl 800 fach Polfilter.jpg|thumb|Corn starch, 800x magnified, under polarized light, showing characteristic [[extinction cross]]]]
[[File:Rice starch - microscopy.jpg|thumb|[[Rice]] starch under transmitted light microscopy. A characteristic of rice starch is that granules have an angular outline and tend to clump.]]