8.1 Introduction

In nature, the availability of starch is just second to cellulose. Starch represents a link with the energy of the sun, which is partially captured during photosynthesis. It serves as a food reserve for plants and provides a mechanism by which non-photosynthesising organisms, such as man, can utilise the energy supplied by the sun.

The most important industrial sources of starch are corn, wheat, potato, tapioca and rice. Today, starch is inexpensive and is available annually from such crops, in excess of current market needs in the United States and Europe [1].

Corn production, has risen over time, as higher yields followed improvements in technology and in production practices.

US corn production in 2003 passed the level of 10 billion bushels (560 billion kg) and from 1970 to 2000 the bushels per acre increased from 80 to 140 (4480 to 7840 kg) (National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA). In Europe (15 member states) corn starch production in 2001 was 8.4 million tons.

Approximately 75% of US domestic corn use is allocated to livestock feed. Food, seed, and industrial uses of corn comprise 25% of domestic utilisation. The market for food made from corn is mature, and food uses of corn are expected to expand at the rate of population growth. Besides starch, corn is also processed by wet millers into high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), glucose, dextrose, corn oil, beverage alcohol and fuel ethanol.

In the last decade there was a significant decrease in the price of corn...