The Nature of Starch

Starch molecules are long chains of thousands of glucose sugar molecules linked up together. There are two kinds of starch molecules: long straight chains called amylose, and short, branched, bushy chains called amylopectin. Plants deposit starch molecules in microscopic solid granules. The size, shape, amylose and amylopectin contents, and cooking qualities of the starch granules vary from species to species.