Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or alcohol. It consists of two types of molecules: the linear and helical amylose and the branched amylopectin. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25% amylose and 75 to 80% amylopectin. Glycogen, the glucose store of animals, is a more branched version of amylopectin.

Starch can be used as a thickening, stiffening or gluing agent when dissolved in warm water, giving wheatpaste.

Energy store of plants

In photosynthesis, plants use light energy to produce glucose from carbon dioxide. The glucose is stored mainly in the form of starch granules, in plastids such as chloroplasts and especially amyloplasts. Toward the end of the growing season, starch accumulates in twigs of trees near the buds. Fruit, seeds, rhizomes, and tubers store starch to prepare for the next growing season.

Glucose is soluble in water, hydrophilic, binds much water and then takes up much space; glucose in the form of starch, on the other hand, is not soluble and can be stored much more compactly.

Since starch is a reserve sugar for the plant, glucose molecules are bound in starch by the easily hydrolyzed alpha bonds. The same type of bond can also be seen in the animal reserve polysaccharide glycogen. This is in contrast to many structural polysaccharides such as chitin, cellulose and peptidoglycan, which are bound by beta-ties and are much more resistant t

o hydrolysis.

Papermaking is the largest non-food application for starches globally

,

consuming millions of metric tons annually. In a typical sheet of copy paper for instance, the starch content may be as high as 8%. Both chemically modified and unmodified starches are used in papermaking. In the wet part of the papermaking process, generally called the “wet-end”, the starc

hes used are cationic and have a positive charge bound to the starch polymer. These starch derivatives associate with the anionic or negatively charged paper fibers / cellulose and inorganic fillers. Cationic starches together with other retention and internal sizing agent help to give the necessary strength properties to the paper web to be formed in the papermaking process (wet strength), and to provide strength to the final paper sheet (dry strength).

In the dry end of the papermaking process the paper web is rewetted with a starch based solution. The process is called surface sizing. Starches used have been chemically, or enzymatically depolymerized at the paper mill or by the starch industry (oxidized starch). The size – starch solutions a

re applied to the paper web by means of various mechanical presses (size press). Together with surface sizing agent the surface starches impart additional strength to the paper web and additionally provide water hold out or “size” for superior printing properties. Starch is also used in paper coating as one of the binders for the coating formulation a mixture of pigments, binders and thickeners. Coated paper has improved smoothness, hardness, whiteness and gloss and thus improves printing characteristics.

Corrugated board adhesives are the next largest application of non-food starches globally. Starch glues are mostly based on unmodified native starches plus some additive such as borax and caustic soda. Part of the starch is gelatinized to carrier slurry of uncooked starches and prevent sedimentation. This opaque glue is called a SteinHall adhesives. The glue is applied on tips of the fluting. The fluted paper is pressed to paper called liner. This is then dried under high heat, which causes the rest of the uncooked starch in glue to swell/gelatinize. This gelatinizing makes the glue a fast and strong for corrugated board production.

Another large non-food starch application is in the construction industry where starch is used in the gypsum wall board manufacturing process. Chemically modified or unmodified starches are added to the stucco containing primarily gypsum. Top and bottom heavyweight sheets of paper are applied to the formulation and the process is allowed to heat and cure to form the eventual rigid wall board. The starches act as a glue for the cured gypsum rock with the paper covering and also provide rigidity to the board.

Adhesives – Starch is used in the manufacture of various glues for book-binding, wallpaper adhesives, paper sack production, tube winding, gummed paper, envelop adhesives, school glues, bottle labeling.

Starch derivatives as yellow dextrins can be modified by addition of some chemical forms to be a hard glue for paper work, some of those forms are Borax, Soda Ash, which mixed with the starch solution at 50-70 °C to gain a very good adhesive, Sodium Silicate can be added to reinforce this formula.

Nicomide (take note the naming similarity), is an acne medication, and in its vitamin supplement form, the most predominant ingredient is 750 mg of nicotinamide, based on this area of research. Alternatively it is used topically as a 4% or 5% gel or cream – as effective as topical 1% clindamycin (8-week double-blind trial ) performed at the New York University College of Medicine.

Animal studies show that nicotinamide has anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) properties. It may work in a way similar to benzodiazepines.

Nicotinamide lacks the vasodilator, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and hypolipidemic actions of nicotinic acid. As such, nicotinamide has not been shown to produce the flushing, itching and burning sensations of the skin as is commonly seen when large doses of nicotinic acid are administered orally. However, nicotinamide can produce liver toxicity at doses above 3 grams per day. In overall, it rarely causes side effects, and is considered generally safe as a food additive, and as a component in cosmetics and medication.

Nicotinamide is produced by the aqueous ammonolysis of 3-cyanopyridine (nicotinonitrile) and subsequent crystallisation.

Nicotinamide is an inhibitor of sirtuins and has been reported to restore cognition in Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice. A safety study of niacinamide for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is currently underway at the University of California, Irvine.

Nicotinamide has been reported to increase the endurance of mice.

Nicotinamide, or Vitamin B3, prevents immunosuppression caused by UVA and UVB radiation, and could be added to sunscreen.

Nicotinamide has been reported to be an effective skin whitener in topical application.

Niacinamide acts as a chemo- and radio-sensitizing agent by enhancing tumor blood flow, thereby reducing tumor hypoxia. Niacinamide also inhibits poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP-1), enzymes involved in the rejoining of DNA strand breaks induced by radiation or chemotherapy. PARP-1 appears to be an important target for Triple Negative Breast Cancers, because the cells are sensitive to inhibition of PARP-1. Niacinamide is also used by some patients in combination with intravenous vitamin C therapy for cancer.

Source: Wikipedia

Probably best known as a gelling agent in cooking, different types and grades of gelatin are used in a wide range of food and non-food products:

Common examples of foods that contain gelatin are gelatin desserts, trifles, aspic, marshmallows, and confectioneries such as Peeps, gummy bears and jelly babies. Gelatin may be used as a stabilizer, thickener, or texturizer in foods such as jams, yoghurt, cream cheese, and margarine; it is used, as well, in fat-reduced foods to simulate the mouthfeel of fat and to create volume without adding calories.

Gelatin is used for the clarification of juices, such as apple juice, and of vinegar. Isinglass, from the swim bladders of fish, is still used as a fining agent for wine and beer.^[7] Beside hartshorn jelly, from deer antlers (hence the name “hartshorn”), isinglass was one of the oldest sources of gelatin. Gelatine was used for hardening paper in Colonial times.

Technical uses

• Certain professional lighting equipment uses color gels to change the beam color. These used to be made with gelatin, hence the term color gel.
• Gelatin typically constitutes the shells of pharmaceutical capsules in order to make them easier to swallow. Hypromellose is a vegan-acceptable alternative to gelatin, but is more expensive to produce.
• Animal glues such as hide glue are essentially unrefined gelatin.
• It is used to hold silver halide crystals in an emulsion in virtually all photographic films and photographic papers. Despite some efforts, no suitable substitutes with the stability and low cost of gelatin have been found.
• Used as a carrier, coating or separating agent for other substances; for example, it makes beta-carotene water-soluble thus imparting a yellow colour to any soft drinks containing beta-carotene.
• Gelatin is closely related to bone glue and is used as a binder in match heads and sandpaper.
• Cosmetics may contain a non-gelling variant of gelatin under the name hydrolyzed collagen.
• As a surface sizing, it smooths glossy printing papers or playing cards and maintains the wrinkles in crêpe paper.

Other uses

• Blocks of ballistic gelatin simulate muscle tissue as a standardized medium for testing firearms ammunition.
• Gelatin is used by synchronized swimmers to hold their hair in place during their routines as it will not dissolve in the cold water of the pool. It is frequently referred to as “knoxing,” a reference to Knox brand gelatin.^[8]
• When added to boiling water and cooled, unflavored gelatin can make a home-made hair styling gel that is cheaper than many commercial hair styling products, but by comparison has a shorter shelf life (about a week) when stored in this form (usually in a refrigerator). After being applied to scalp hair, it can be removed with rinsing and some shampoo.
• It is commonly used as a biological substrate to culture adherent cells.
• Also used by those who are sensitive to tannins (which can irritate the stomach) in teas, soups or brews.
• It may be used as a medium with which to consume LSD. LSD in gelatin form is known as “windowpane” or “gel.”
• Gelatin is used to make the shells of paintballs, similar to the way pharmaceutical capsules are produced.

Source: wikipedia

The monomer is extremely toxic to aquatic life. However, the polymer PVP was used as a blood plasma expander for trauma victims after the first half of the 20th century.

It is used as a binder in many pharmaceutical tablets; it simply passes through the body when taken orally. However, autopsies have found that crospovidone does contribute to pulmonary vascular injury in substance abusers who have injected pharmaceutical tablets intended for oral consumption.^[1] The long-term effects of crospovidone within the lung are unknown. PVP added to Iodine forms a complex called (Povidone-iodine) that possesses disinfectant properties. This complex is used in various products like solutions, ointment, pessaries, liquid soaps and surgical scrubs. It is known for instance under the trade name Betadine.

PVP binds to polar molecules exceptionally well, owing to its polarity. This has led to its application in coatings for photo-quality ink-jet papers and transparencies, as well as in inks for inkjet printers.

PVP is also used in personal care products, such as shampoos and toothpastes, in paints, and adhesives that must be moistened, such as old-style postage stamps and envelopes. It has also been used in contact lens solutions and in steel-quenching solutions. PVP is the basis of the early formulas for hair sprays and hair gels, and still continues to be a component of some.

As a food additive, PVP is a stabilizer and has E number E1201. PVPP is E1202. It is also used in the wine industry as a fining agent for white wine. Other references state that polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its derivatives are fully from mineral synthetic origin. Therefore, its use in the production should not be a problem for vegans.

In molecular biology, PVP can be used as a blocking agent during Southern blot analysis as a component of Denhardt’s buffer. It is also exceptionally good at adsorbing polyphenols during DNA purification. Polyphenols are common in many plant tissues and can deactivate proteins if not removed and therefore inhibit many downstream reactions like PCR.

PVP is also used in many technical applications:

• as adhesive in glue stick and hot melts
• as special additive for batteries, ceramics, fiberglass, inks, inkjet paper and in the chemical-mechanical planarization process
• as emulsifier and disintegrant for solution polymerization
• as photoresist for cathode ray tubes (CRT)
• use in aqueous metal quenching
• for production of membranes, such as dialysis and water purification filters
• as binder and complexation agent in agro applications such as crop protection, seed treatment and coating
• as a thickening agent in tooth whitening gels
• as an aid for increasing the solubility of drugs in liquid and semi-liquid dosage forms (syrups, soft gelatine capsules) and as an inhibitor of recrystallisation
• as an additive to Doro’s RNA extraction buffer

Source: wikipedia

Health and dietary applications

Calcium carbonate is widely used medicinally as an inexpensive dietary calcium supplement or antacid. It may be used as a phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia (primarily in patients with chronic renal failure). It is also used in the pharmaceutical industry as an inert filler for tablets and other pharmaceuticals.

Calcium carbonate is used in the production of toothpaste and is also used in homeopathy as one of the constitutional remedies. Also, it has seen a resurgence as a food preservative and color retainer, when used in or with products such as organic apples or food.

Excess calcium from supplements, fortified food and high-calcium diets, can cause the “milk alkali syndrome,” which has serious toxicity and can be fatal. In 1915, Bertram Sippy introduced the “Sippy regimen” of hourly ingestion of milk and cream, and the gradual addition of eggs and cooked cereal, for 10 days, combined with alkaline powders, which provided symptomatic relief for peptic ulcer disease. Over the next several decades, the Sippy regimen resulted in renal failure, alkalosis, and hypercalemia, mostly in men with peptic ulcer disease. These adverse effects were reversed when the regimen stopped, but it was fatal in some patients with protracted vomiting. Milk alkali syndrome declined in men after effective treatments for peptic ulcer disease. During the past 15 years, it has been reported in women taking calcium supplements above the recommended range of 1.2 to 1.5 g daily, for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, and is exacerbated by dehydration. Calcium has been added to over-the-counter products, which contributes to inadvertent excessive intake. Excessive calcium intake can lead to hypercalcemia, complications of which include vomiting, abdominal pain and altered mental status.

A form of food additive is designated as E170. It is used in some soy milk products as a source of dietary calcium; one study suggests that calcium carbonate might be as bioavailable as the calcium in cow’s milk.

Source: Wikipedia

Borax has a wide variety of uses. It is a component of many detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. It is also used to make buffer solutions in biochemistry, as a fire retardant, as an anti-fungal compound for fiberglass, as an insecticide, as a flux in metallurgy, a texturing agent in cooking, and as a precursor for other boron compounds.

The term borax is used for a number of closely related minerals or chemical compounds that differ in their crystal water content, but usually refers to the decahydrate. Commercially sold borax is usually partially dehydrated.

The word borax is from Persian and originates in the Middle-Persian būrak.

Sodium benzoate is a preservative. It is bacteriostatic and fungistatic under acidic conditions. It is used most prevalently in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and condiments. It is also found in alcohol-based mouthwash and silver polish.^{[citation needed]} It can also be found in cough syrups like Robitussin. Sodium benzoate is declared on a product label as ’sodium benzoate’ or E211.

It is also used in fireworks as a fuel in whistle mix, a powder which emits a whistling noise when compressed into a tube and ignited.

Sodium benzoate is produced by the neutralization of benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide.^[2] Benzoic acid is a natural preservative found in cranberries, prunes, greengage plums, cinnamon, ripe cloves, and apples.^{[citation needed]} Though benzoic acid is a more effective preservative, sodium benzoate is more commonly used as a food additive because benzoic acid does not dissolve well in water.^[2] Concentration as a preservative is limited by the FDA in the U.S. to 0.1% by weight. The International Programme on Chemical Safety found no adverse effects in humans at doses of 647–825 mg/kg of body weight per day.

Cats have a significantly lower tolerance against benzoic acid and its salts than rats and mice.^[5] Sodium benzoate is, however, allowed as an animal food additive at up to 0.1%, according to AFCO’s official publication.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.com

As a food additive, it has the E number E301 and is used as an antioxidant and an acidity regulator.

Source: wikipedia.com

• Play a role in electrolyte balance of the body;

• Play a role in chemical reactions that make proteins and carbohydrates in the game.

• Regulates blood pressure

Sources: Vegetables, fruit, meat, chocolate.

Recommended daily amount: 160 grams

• Improves blood circulation

• Increases absorption of oxygen

• Works as an antioxidant

Absence causes:

• Hair vision

• Aging skin

• Feeling tired, low yield
• Inflammatory bowel
• Sterility
• Heart disease
• Old age spots appeared on the skin
• Nervousness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slow healing of wounds.
• Inability of the body to absorb fats from food
• Edema
• Hemolytic anemia
• Reproductive system disorders

Source: Cereals, sunflower oil, almonds, corn oil, soybean oil, wheat, corn, nuts, olives, spinach, black bread, dry beans, peas.

Recommended daily amount:: 10 mg / day