Abstract: Covers a process for producing an improved substantially non-birefringent granular starch product comprising: heating an aqueous slurry of a granular birefringent starch to substantially eliminate the birefringence of the starch and to slightly swell the starch while retaining the granule structure; separating and dehydrating the partially swollen non-birefringent starch granules; and recovering the substantially non-birefringent granular starch product. Also covers the use of this product as a thickener to increase the viscosity and to improve the coating characteristics of latex compositions and said latex compositions.