Starch, in its many forms, provides an essential food energy source for the world’s human population. It is therefore vital for manufacturers (and ultimately consumers) to have increased understanding of the granule synthesis and its behaviour in modern food processing. This work documents the latest research and opinion on starch structure and its function as a food material, including structure characterisation, processing and ingredient functionality, and control of starch biosynthesis. The multi-disciplinary nature of the contents should provide a valuable reference for biologists, chemists, food technologists, geneticists, nutritionists and physicists