Oxidised starch

Oxidised starch is produced by treating native starch — from maize, potato, wheat, or tapioca — with hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, which partially oxidises and cleaves glucose chains. This reduces molecular weight and viscosity, improves gel clarity, and reduces retrogradation — the tendency of starch gels to stiffen and cloud during storage. As a food additive (E1404), it is used as a thickener, stabiliser, and film-forming coating agent in confectionery, snack products, bread, and paper-coated food packaging.

JECFA evaluated oxidised starch in 1981 and did not establish a numerical ADI, classifying it as not specified. Modified food starches are digested by human amylase enzymes in essentially the same way as native starch; oxidation modifications at permitted levels do not affect digestibility or metabolic handling.

Oxidised starch is approved in the EU (E1404), the United States (GRAS), and globally. It is most commonly encountered in confectionery coatings and in baked goods where a uniform, fine-crumb texture is desired. Consumers on gluten-free diets should verify the declared source: wheat-derived oxidised starch may carry trace gluten, while maize, potato, and tapioca versions are inherently gluten-free. No adverse health effects have been identified at dietary exposure levels for the general population.