21 C.F.R. § 172.892
Food starch-modified.
Cite as 21 C.F.R. § 172.892 (2026)
Food starch-modified as described in this section may be safely used in food. The quantity of any substance employed to effect such modification shall not exceed the amount reasonably required to accomplish the intended physical or technical effect, nor exceed any limitation prescribed. To insure safe use of the food starch-modified, the label of the food additive container shall bear the name of the additive “food starch-modified” in addition to other information required by the Act. Food starch may be modified by treatment prescribed as follows:
(a) Food starch may be acid-modified by treatment with hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid or both.
(b) Food starch may be bleached by treatment with one or more of the following:
Limitations
Active oxygen obtained from hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid, not to exceed 0.45 percent of active oxygen
Ammonium persulfate, not to exceed 0.075 percent and sulfur dioxide, not to exceed 0.05 percent
Chlorine, as calcium hypochlorite, not to exceed 0.036 percent of dry starch
The finished food starch-modified is limited to use only as a component of batter for commercially processed foods.
Chlorine, as sodium hypochlorite, not to exceed 0.0082 pound of chlorine per pound of dry starch
Potassium permanganate, not to exceed 0.2 percent
Residual manganese (calculated as Mn), not to exceed 50 parts per million in food starch-modified.
Sodium chlorite, not to exceed 0.5 percent
(c) Food starch may be oxidized by treatment with chlorine, as sodium hypochlorite, not to exceed 0.055 pound of chlorine per pound of dry starch.
(d) Food starch may be esterified by treatment with one of the following:
Limitations
Acetic anhydride
Acetyl groups in food starch-modified not to exceed 2.5 percent.
Adipic anhydride, not to exceed 0.12 percent, and acetic anhydride
Do.
Monosodium orthophosphate
Residual phosphate in food starch-modified not to exceed 0.4 percent calculated as phosphorus.
1-Octenyl succinic anhydride, not to exceed 3 percent
1-Octenyl succinic anhydride, not to exceed 2 percent, and aluminum sulfate, not to exceed 2 percent
1-Octenyl succinic anhydride, not to exceed 3 percent, followed by treatment with a
beta
-amylase enzyme that is either an approved food additive of is generally recognized as safe
Limited to use as a stabilizer or emulsifier in beverages and beverage bases as defined in § 170.3(n)(3) of this chapter.
Phosphorus oxychloride, not to exceed 0.1 percent
Phosphorus oxychloride, not to exceed 0.1 percent, followed by either acetic anhydride, not to exceed 8 percent, or vinyl acetate, not to exceed 7.5 percent
Acetyl groups in food starch-modified not to exceed 2.5 percent.
Sodium trimetaphosphate
Residual phosphate in food starch-modified not to exceed 0.04 percent, calculated as phosphorus.
Sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium trimetaphosphate
Residual phosphate in food starch-modified not to exceed 0.4 percent calculated as phosphorus.
Succinic anhydride, not to exceed 4 percent
Vinyl acetate
Acetyl groups in food starch-modified not to exceed 2.5 percent.
(e) Food starch may be etherified by treatment with one of the following:
Limitations
Acrolein, not to exceed 0.6 percent
Epichlorohydrin, not to exceed 0.3 percent
Epichlorohydrin, not to exceed 0.1 percent, and propylene oxide, not to exceed 10 percent, added in combination or in any sequence
Residual propylene chlorohydrin not more than 5 parts per million in food starch-modified.
Epichlorohydrin, not to exceed 0.1 percent, followed by propylene oxide, not to exceed 25 percent
Do.
Propylene oxide, not to exceed 25 percent
Do.
(f) Food starch may be esterified and etherified by treatment with one of the following:
Limitations
Acrolein, not to exceed 0.6 percent and vinyl acetate, not to exceed 7.5 percent
Acetyl groups in food starch-modified not to exceed 2.5 percent.
Epichlorohydrin, not to exceed 0.3 percent, and acetic anhydride
Acetyl groups in food starch-modified not to exceed 2.5 percent.
Epichlorohydrin, not to exceed 0.3 percent, and succinic anhydride, not to exceed 4 percent
Phosphorus oxychloride, not to exceed 0.1 percent, and propylene oxide, not to exceed 10 percent
Residual propylene chlorohydrin not more than 5 parts per million in food starch-modified.
(g) Food starch may be modified by treatment with one of the following:
Limitations
Chlorine, as sodium hypochlorite, not to exceed 0.055 pound of chlorine per pound of dry starch; 0.45 percent of active oxygen obtained from hydrogen peroxide; and propylene oxide, not to exceed 25 percent
Residual propylene chlorohydrin not more than 5 parts per million in food starch-modified.
Sodium hydroxide, not to exceed 1 percent
(h) Food starch may be modified by a combination of the treatments prescribed by paragraphs (a), (b), and/or (i) of this section and any one of the treatments prescribed by paragraph (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, subject to any limitations prescribed by the paragraphs named.
(i) Food starch may be modified by treatment with the following enzymes:
Enzyme
Limitations
Alpha-amylase (E.C. 3.2.1.1)
The enzyme must be generally recognized as safe or approved as a food additive for this purpose. The resulting nonsweet nutritive saccharide polymer has a dextrose equivalent of less than 20.
Beta-amylase (E.C. 3.2.1.2)
Glucoamylase (E.C. 3.2.1.3)
Isoamylase (E.C. 3.2.1.68)
Pullulanase (E.C. 3.2.1.41)
[42 FR 14491, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 43 FR 11697, Mar. 21, 1978; 46 FR 32015, June 19, 1981; 57 FR 54700, Nov. 20, 1992; 58 FR 21100, Apr. 19, 1993; 66 FR 17509, Apr. 2, 2001]
- Cross-references to the CFR
- 170.3