Starch‐thickened, strained apricots were found to exhibit irreversible thixotropy. Shear stress and shear rate were estimated from mixer viscometer data. A structural parameter, yield stress, flow behavior index and a consistency coefficient were determined to quantify the rate of breakdown and equilibrium structure of the product. The techniques developed in this study are useful in describing the time‐dependent behavior of suspensions because the slip at the wall is minimi