Modified Starches on Ingredient Label

JD_19616

Hello ChefSteps,

I'm curious if products containing modified starches, such as the Ultra-tex and Ultra-sperse series, have to list these ingredients as "modified tapioca starch" (or "modified corn starch") on the ingredients list, or can they simply list them as "corn starch" (or "tapioca starch")? I'm assuming these ingredients enjoy widespread use in industrial food production and I rarely, if ever, see the term "modified". Given the popularity of "natural" ingredients noawadays, I'm assuming most producers would prefer to avoid the term if possible. I personally have no issue with the use of such products, I often use them myself, but I was just wondering about labeling laws and how they apply. Thanks!

- JD

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Comments

brian_martin2001

I have no idea about other countries' laws, but the United States FDA has legal requirements regarding what is and isn't stated when it comes to food additives. http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074605.htm

The gist of it is, if it is modified, and you do not call it that, you're breaking the law.

brian_martin2001

If you want to have a look at the government document regulating food product labeling, here's the e copy of it. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=101&showFR=1

JD_19616

Thank you Brian, would the same regulations apply to guar gum and other stabilizers? For instance, using a flavorless guar gum as opposed to regular guar?

brian_martin2001

What about my earlier comments confused you into believing that this only applies to one set of ingredients and Not another?

JD_19616

The confusion comes from the fact that I have never seen "modified guar gum" on an ingredient label, yet companies like TIC gums must be selling their "flavorless" guar gum to someone. I don't think the FDA guidelines are so straightforward that it would be impossible for different ingredients to have different definitions of "modified".

brian_martin2001

Guar gum is, by it's Very nature, modified. It is a specific carbohydrate that it's extracted from Guar. If you wanted, you could Try to get away with putting modified Guar on the label, but why bother? I would honestly like to see a photograph of such a product if you can find guar gum that had been modified after its extraction and manufacturing.