<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

A member of our support group reported recently that he was told by a
representative of the Consumers Affairs Division of a local supermarket
"according to the law, 'Modified Food Starch' is made from corn." We
know that is not right but I wanted to supply our group with
documentation on the regulations. Following is a copy of what I found,
my conclusions and the citations.

The second point, that modified food starch (MFS) derived from wheat may
not contain gluten, is the one I found really interesting. According to
the USDA, there is no need to specify the source of the starch used in
modified food starch because "...it is separated from the protein
through isolation techniques; therefore, the source of the starch used
is not required on the label.". Since the protein is the component that
contains gluten, is it possibly true that MFS from wheat might be gluten
free or acceptably low in gluten.

I was not able to find any information on the latter point other than
references to "wheat starch" being accepted for use in the European
celiac diet.

If you have any authoritative information on the gluten content of MFS
from wheat, please reply and I will summarize.

Joel

Part of my note to our group's email list:
------------------------------------------------------
Summary:

1) Modified food starch may be derived from wheat.
2) Modified food starch derived from wheat may not contain gluten.
3) You can't always believe what customer service people tell you about
the gluten content of foods.

Details:

1) Modified food starch may be derived from wheat.

Source: National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine
http://www.iom.edu/iom/iomhome.nsf/WFiles/FoodStaM/$file/FoodStaM.PDF

Excerpt:

Institute of Medicine
Food and Nutrition Board
Committee on Food Chemicals Codex
Revised Monograph - Food Starch, Modified

"Food Starch, Modified
Modified Food Starch; Food Starch-Modified
DESCRIPTION
Modified Food Starch usually occurs as white or nearly white powders; as
intact granules; and if pregelatinized (that is, subjected to heat
treatment in the presence of water), as flakes, amorphous powders, or
coarse particles. Modified food starches are products of the treatment
of any of several grain- or root-based native starches, for example,
corn, sorghum, wheat, potato, tapioca, and sago,  with small amounts of
certain chemical agents, which modify the physical characteristics of
the native starches to produce desirable properties."

2) Modified food starch derived from wheat may not contain any gluten.

Source: Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of
Agriculture http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/additive.htm

Excerpt:

"MODIFIED FOOD STARCH - starch that has been chemically altered to
improve its thickening properties. Before the starch is modified, it is
separated from the protein through isolation techniques; therefore, the
source of the starch used is not required on the label."

Comment: Since the starch is separated from the protein, which is the
component of the grain that contains gluten, in theory, modified food
starch should not contain much, if any gluten. Perhaps that is why wheat
starch is allowed in the celiac diet in Europe. It would be really
interesting to have some modified food starch that is made from wheat
analyzed for gluten.

3) This may be just another case of a customer service representative
confusing facts. Federal regulations state that the ingredient "starch"
in the U.S. must come from corn. Perhaps that is what she was referring
to. In any event, she needs to be supplied with accurate information and
asked to clarify and document her statements.

-------------
Joel Elias
Pittsford, NY
www.rochesterceliacs.org

*Please provide references to back up claims of a product being GF or not GF*