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How do you make cornstarch?

927 views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  SquashNut 
#1 ·
I have been searching, but I can not find a single thing on how to make cornstarch, preferably using as little "modern" tools as possible. I guess what I really want to know is, how did they do it way back when using improvised materials from the land? ANY insights would be greatly appreciated.
 
#2 ·
I'm thinking this would be dificult in a home setting. If I were to try, I would grind it very fine (like flour), mix it with water, and keep what settles to the bottom and dry it.
 
#3 ·
[ame]http://www.google.com/search?num=30&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=How+is+cornstarch+made%3F[/ame]

They wouldn't have had it, working from scratch at home. What they'd use would be to finely-sift white flour, then rub it through a silk screen. They'd use only the very fine dust that made it through.
 
#5 ·
I know that it has antibacterial properties. The marines use it to keep their feet dry and free of athletes foot. Knowing this, I started using it on my son's diaper rash. It cleared it up faster than any cream. So I would like to know how to make it myself...just in case.
 
#7 ·
http://www.starch.dk/isi/starch/tm18www-corn.htm

Cleaned corn softens in hot sulphurous water. A coarse grind releases the germ and a fine grind and screening separates fibre and starch. The mill stream is deglutinated and refined by washing again and again in hydroclones to remove the last trace of protein and produce high quality starch.


I don't think it would be practical to try to make it at home. I would be inclined just to buy a quantity and store it. A dozen boxes should last a very long time and keeps very well.

At one time rice powder was used in most of the same ways as corn starch is now. You would grind the rice very finely and screen it, tho most of the time the rice flour was put into a bag made of finely woven but thin material and 'pounced' on to the area.
 
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