Modified Starches
E1404, E1410, E1412–E1414, E1420, E1422, E1440, E1442, E1450–E1452
modified starch, modified food starch, chemically modified starch, E1404, oxidised starch, oxidized starch, E1410, monostarch phosphate, E1412, distarch phosphate, E1413, phosphated distarch phosphate, E1414, acetylated distarch phosphate, E1420, acetylated starch, E1422, acetylated distarch adipate, E1440, hydroxypropyl starch, E1442, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, E1450, starch sodium octenyl succinate, E1451, acetylated oxidised starch, acetylated oxidized starch, E1452, starch aluminium octenyl succinate, starch aluminum octenyl succinate
What it is
A family of starches treated to change technological properties such as thickening, stability and resistance to heat, cold or acidity. Different modifications produce different additives.
Why BOTIA flags it
“Modified starch” does not mean genetically modified: it means the starch has been treated to change its properties and make it better withstand heat, cold or acidity without losing texture. Most is digested like ordinary starch, although some modified starches resist digestion partly and behave as resistant starch. There are more than a dozen types and the label rarely tells you which one is present. JECFA saw no need to set a numerical intake limit.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect generic “modified starch” declarations and the specific modified-starch E-numbers and names listed in this family.
- Explain that “modified” refers to technological treatment, not genetic modification, and that different modified starches can have different digestibility and functional properties.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Identify the exact modified-starch subtype when the label only says “modified starch”.
- Determine from the generic declaration how digestible that particular starch is or how much resistant starch it contributes.