Abstract: The invention relates to a method of stabilizing the soil and preventing erosion. According to the invention such a method is characterized by treating the soil with a mixed product of a pre-gelatinized starch and 0.5-5% by weight, calculated on the dry starch, of a surfactant compound which contains an unbranched saturated alkyl group and is selected from the alkyl sulfates having 10-16 carbon atoms, the alkyl sulfonates having 10-16 carbon atoms and the fatty acid alcohols having 8-12 carbon atoms. The invention also relates to said mixed product.

Abstract: Dry products in flake or granulate form suitable as a paste base may be obtained by drying a mixture, containing approximately 30 to 80% by weight of water, of from(a) 30 to 95% by weight of carboxymethylated and/or alkoxylated starch,(b) 3 to 40% by weight of a cellulose ether, and(c) 2 to 40% by weight of a water-dispersible polymer or water-soluble polymer, and(d) optionally, conventional additives, such as preservatives, wetting agents, fillers and the like,in a thin layer on a surface heated to 80.degree. to 200.degree. C. The dry products obtained do not undergo physical separation and are readily dispersible or self-dispersible in water.

Abstract: A method of making beta-limit dextrin containing starch products is disclosed. The method comprises first treating fully or partially gelatinized starch with beta-amylase until a DE of 5-30 is reached, thereafter completely gelatinizing the resulting product as far as necessary and treating the resulting solution with alpha-amylase for a short period of time so that, as a result of the treatment with alpha-amylase, the DE of the starch hydrolysate is increased by no more than 3 units.