Modified food starches are used in a wide variety of dairy products to provide various effects including increased viscosity, shearability, mouthfeel, and stability. In puddings, starch is used to create viscosity and a uniform and short texture. Starch is used in yogurt and sour cream to control syneresis, consistency, replace milk solids and improve mouthfeel. In imitation cheese, for example pizza cheese, starch is used as a substitute for casein to reduce costs. In cottage cheese, starch improves curd adhesion. Unmodified pomace cornstarch is commonly used for a gel-like texture in puddings and other dairy desserts, but these products clump together during long-term storage. Modified corn starch provides the short, stiff structure desired in certain desserts, such as flan. Other starchy dairy products include buttermilk, cheese, dips, and ice cream. Shear resistance is especially important in those dairy products that are homogenized. In general, the use of raw starch as a stabilizer in cheese production leads to the production of a product with a better and more desirable, thicker texture, increasing production efficiency and improving organoleptic and rheological properties. Also, corn starch is used as an anti-caking agent. Shredded cheese is often coated with a thin layer of very fine dust-like particles of cornstarch to prevent clumping in the package. Cornstarch also helps absorb moisture from condensation and prevents the formation of a sticky texture. A small amount of corn starch is often mixed with powdered sugar for this purpose.
