Pregelatinized starch, a modified starch, is produced by chemically or mechanically disrupting some or all of the starch granules. It shows broad application prospects in pharmaceuticals, health products, and food. This article introduces the preparation process, properties, and applications of pregelatinized starch in various fields.

　　I. Preparation Process

　　The preparation of pregelatinized starch mainly involves adding water to starch (such as corn starch) to form a slurry, then using heating or mechanical methods to break the long chains of glucose molecules in the starch, causing partial or complete breakage. Afterward, the treated starch slurry is dried and pulverized to obtain a white or off-white powdery product. According to the degree of pregelatinization, pregelatinized starch can be divided into fully pregelatinized starch and partially pregelatinized starch.

　　II. Main Characteristics

　　Flowability: Pregelatinized starch has good flowability, making it easy to handle and mix in pharmaceutical and food processing.

　　Compressibility: The compressibility of this substance makes it an ideal filler in tablet manufacturing, helping to improve product hardness and stability.

　　Lubricity: Pregelatinized starch has a certain self-lubricating effect, which helps reduce friction and wear during production.

　　Disintegration: As a disintegrant, pregelatinized starch can accelerate the disintegration and release of tablets or capsules in the body.

　　III. Application Fields

　　Pharmaceutical Field: Pregelatinized starch is widely used in the pharmaceutical field. It is commonly used as a binder, diluent, and disintegrant in oral tablets and capsules. By mixing with drugs, pregelatinized starch can solidify and bind the drugs together to form stable preparations. In addition, it can also improve drug solubility and bioavailability, thereby improving drug efficacy.

　　Health Product Field: In health product manufacturing, pregelatinized starch also plays an important role. It can not only be used as a filler to increase the volume and weight of the product, but also improve the taste and stability of the product.

　　Food Field: With the deepening of research, the application of pregelatinized starch in the food field is also gradually increasing. For example, it can be used in the production of pressed candies and compressible foods to improve the taste and texture of the products.

　　In summary, pregelatinized starch, as a multifunctional excipient, shows broad application prospects in the pharmaceutical, health product, and food fields. Its good flowability, compressibility, lubricity, and disintegration make it an indispensable important raw material in these fields. With the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous expansion of applications, the market demand for pregelatinized starch will continue to grow.