MENU
 
 

It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy


 

Ask Dr. Gourmet

What is "food starch" and "modified corn starch?"

Can you tell me anything about modified food starch/modified corn starch? It is in almost every type of commercially prepared food.

Is this a product that many people are allergic/sensitive to? I strongly suspect that I have an allergy to the modified starches, but I am not able to find any information about them.

Dr. Gourmet Says...

Corn starch powder in a wooden bowl, corn kernels, and fresh corn

Modified food starches are used in many processed foods today. These are highly processed, fine granular powders made from any number of sources, including wheat, corn, and tapioca. They are used in foods as thickening agents and to help emulsify ingredients. Because the federal government does not require companies to list the source ingredient of the starch, it could be made from any of these ingredients.

Generally speaking, these are safe products - unless you are allergic to the ingredient the food starch is made from. The most common food starch is cornstarch (also known as corn flour).

That said, foods that use modified starches are generally very highly processed. If it is listed as one of the ingredients, you might think about whether it would be more healthy to make the item from scratch.

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet