Procedure for separating starch from comminutates of plant materials

1. A process of producing starch from a plant material other than wheat which comprises adding extraneous protein to the plant material to produce a network of protein and isolating the starch from the protein network mixture.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the extraneous protein is gluten.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the gluten is wheat gluten.

4. A process according to claim 2 wherein the gluten is wholly or partially generated in the plant material by expression of genetic material originally from wheat species.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the network of protein is produced by a mixing action.

6. A process according to any one of claim 1 wherein the protein network mixture is modified by the addition of salt.

7. A process according to claim 1 wherein the protein network mixture is modified by mixing in the presence of agents to enhance cross linking of gluten through oxidizing reactions.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the protein network mixture is modified by mixing in the presence of transglutaminase or other enzymes known to cross link gluten proteins.

9. A process according to claim 7 wherein the plant network mixture is modified by mixing in the presence of an aldehyde reagent known to cross link gluten proteins.

10. A process according to claim 1 in which the plant material is cereal/grain other than wheat, a pulse, a plant seed or a fruit.

11. A process according to claim 10 in which the cereal/grain is oat, rye or barley.

12. A process according to claim 10 in which the cereal/grain is triticale.

13. A process according to claim 1 wherein the plant material is in the form of a flour prior to the addition of extraneous protein.

14. A method of extracting starch from a plant material other than wheat, comprising the steps of:

(a) mixing comminuted plant material with wheat gluten and water to form a coherent mass; and

(b) washing the starch from the coherent mass with water.

15. A process according to any preceding to claim 14 wherein the starch is isolated from the protein/plant material mass by sedimentation, filtration, centrifugation, evaporation or a combination or modification of these processes.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein a dough is prepared from the combination of gluten and plant material allowing the gluten/plant material mixture to rest.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein a weight ratio of 50–80% water to ground plant material is used.

18. A method according to claim 14 wherein the starch is washed out of the dough by:

kneading the dough, while it is covered with water, to permit the release of the starch granules; and

recovering the starch granules by filtration through a coarse mesh, which retains the protein mass and allows the starch suspension to pass through.