Ingredient
Starch
Also known as Potato starch, Corn starch, Tapioca starch, Modified starch
A carbohydrate binder, from potato, corn or tapioca, that swells on cooking to hold water and firm the texture.
Starch binds by gelatinising: heated in the presence of water it swells and sets, trapping moisture and giving a firmer, sliceable texture. Potato, corn and tapioca starches are the common sources, and modified starches are tuned for particular behaviours. It is a carbohydrate rather than a protein, so it holds water and texture but adds no binding through the meat proteins themselves, and too much reads as a pasty, starchy bite.