PURPOSE: To obtain a composition for paper coating excellent in high speed coating properties, affording coated paper having improved quality by compounding a specific amount of an enzyme-modified or thermochemically modified starch acetate having reduced viscosity as a part of an adhesive.

CONSTITUTION: The viscosity reducing treatment of a starch acetate which is obtained by acetylation of starch such as corn starch with acetic anhydride or the like is carried out by heating the starch acetate with alpha-amylase or the like or with an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide or the like. The composition for paper coating is obtained by compounding 1 to 10 pts.wt. of starch acetate having reduced viscosity (preferably the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 35 wt.% concentration is 50 to 1000 cPs at 60°C), to 100 pts.wt. of a pigment.