Starch is a polysaccharide consisting of glucose units linked together primarily by alpha 1-4 glucosidic bonds. Starch polymers come in two forms: linear (amylose) and branched through alpha 1-6 glucosidic bonds (amylopectin). Each glucose unit has a maximum of three hydroxyl groups that can undergo chemical substitution.
Alkaline-treated starch is a modified starch that is obtained through the treatment of food starches with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This process fragments the starch molecule, leading to changes in its physical and chemical properties.
Alkaline-treated starch may also be subjected to additional processing, such as bleaching, to further improve its properties, in accordance with good manufacturing practices (GMP).
INS No. 1402
CAS number: 9005-84-9
Description: White or nearly white powder or granules or (if pregelatinized) flakes, or amorphous powder or coarse particles.
Functional uses: Thickener, stabilizer, binder, emulsifier
General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) Provisions for Alkaline Treated Starch (INS 1402)
The Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) establishes the conditions for the use of Alkaline-treated starch in foods, regardless of whether they have been previously standardized by Codex.
*Note: Unless otherwise specified, food additive provisions apply to the food category indicated (e.g. Dairy), as well as to all subcategories of that category (e.g. Cheese, Ripened Cheese, etc.).
(1) Coffee, coffee substitutes, tea, herbal infusions, and other hot cereal and grain beverages, excluding cocoa
Includes the ready-to-drink products (e.g., canned), and their mixes and concentrates. Examples include: chicory-based hot beverages (postum), rice tea, mate tea, and mixes for hot coffee and tea beverages (e.g. instant coffee, powder for hot cappucino beverages). Treated coffee beans for the manufacture of coffee products are also included. Ready-to-drink cocoa is included (as Flavoured fluid milk drinks; Cocoa mixes (powders) and cocoa mass/cake)
Max Level: GMP
Notes: For use in ready-to-drink products and pre-mixes for ready-to-drink products only.
(2) Fermented milks (plain), heat-treated after fermentation
Includes fluid and non-fluid plain products, such as yoghurt and plain drinks based on fermented milk, have been heat-treated (e.g. sterilized or pasteurized) after fermentation.
Max Level: GMP
Notes: For use as a stabilizer or thickener only.
(3) Fermented milks (plain), not heat-treated after fermentation
Includes fluid and non-fluid plain products, such as yoghurt and plain drinks based on fermented milk.
Max Level: GMP
Notes: For use as a stabilizer or thickener only; For use in reconstituted and recombined products only.
(4) Frozen battered fish, fish fillets, and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms
Uncooked product prepared from fish or fish portions, with dressing in eggs and bread crumbs or batter. Examples include: frozen raw breaded or batter-coated shrimp; and frozen or quick-frozen breaded or batter-coated fish fillets, fish portions and fish sticks (fish fingers).
Max Level: GMP
Notes: or non-standardized food and for breaded or batter coatings in food conforming to the Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Sticks (Fish Fingers), Fish Portions and Fish Fillets – Breaded or in Batter (CODEX STAN 166-1989).
(5) Other sugars and syrups (e.g. xylose, maple syrup, sugar toppings)
Includes all types of table syrups (e.g. maple syrup), syrups for fine bakery wares and ices (e.g. caramel syrup, flavoured syrups), and decorative sugar toppings (e.g. coloured sugar crystals for cookies).
Max Level: GMP
Notes: Excluding maple syrup.
(6) Renneted milk (plain)
Plain, coagulated milk produced by the action of milk coagulating enzymes. Includes curdled milk. Flavoured renneted milk products are found Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt)
Max Level: GMP
GSFA Table 3 Provisions
Alkaline treated starch is a food additive that is included in GSFA General Conditions of Table 3, and as such may be used in the following foods under the conditions of good manufacturing practices (GMP) as outlined in the Preamble of the Codex GSFA.
Although not listed below, Alkaline treated starch could also be used in heat-treated butter milk (in Fluid milk (plain)) and spices (Herbs and spices). Note that food categories listed in the Annex to Table 3 were excluded accordingly.
Alkaline treated starch is acceptable in foods conforming to the following commodity standards: CS 119-1981, CS 249-2006, CS 70-1981, CS 94-1981, CS 105-1981.
| Food category |
| Flavoured fluid milk drinks |
| Condensed milk and analogues (plain) |
| Clotted cream (plain) |
| Cream analogues |
| Milk powder and cream powder and powder analogues (plain) |
| Unripened cheese |
| Ripened cheese |
| Processed cheese |
| Cheese analogues |
| Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt) |
| Liquid whey and whey products, excluding whey cheeses |
| Fat spreads, dairy fat spreads and blended spreads |
| Fat emulsions mainly of type oil-in-water, including mixed and/or flavoured products based on fat emulsions |
| Fat-based desserts excluding dairy-based dessert products of food category |
| Edible ices, including sherbet and sorbet |
| Processed fruit |
| Dried vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweeds, and nuts and seeds |
| Vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), and seaweeds in vinegar, oil, brine, or soybean sauce |
| Canned or bottled (pasteurized) or retort pouch vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), and seaweeds |
| Vegetable (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweed, and nut and seed purees and spreads (e.g., peanut butter) |
| Vegetable (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweed, and nut and seed pulps and preparations (e.g. vegetable desserts and sauces, candied vegetables) and seed purees and spreads (e.g., peanut butter) |
| Cooked or fried vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), and seaweeds |
| Confectionery |
| Breakfast cereals, including rolled oats |
| Pre-cooked pastas and noodles and like products |
| Cereal and starch based desserts (e.g. rice pudding, tapioca pudding) |
| Batters (e.g. for breading or batters for fish or poultry) |
| Pre-cooked or processed rice products, including rice cakes (Oriental type only) |
| Soybean products (excluding soybean-based seasonings and condiments of food category 12.9) |
| Bakery wares |
| Processed meat, poultry, and game products in whole pieces or cuts |
| Processed comminuted meat, poultry, and game products |
| Edible casings (e.g. sausage casings) |
| Semi-preserved fish and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms |
| Fully preserved, including canned or fermented fish and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms |
| Dried and/or heat coagulated egg products |
| Preserved eggs, including alkaline, salted, and canned eggs |
| Egg-based desserts (e.g. custard) |
| Table-top sweeteners, including those containing high-intensity sweeteners |
| Seasonings and condiments |
| Vinegars |
| Mustards |
| Soups and broths |
| Sauces and like products |
| Salads (e.g. macaroni salad, potato salad) and sandwich spreads excluding cocoa- and nut-based spreads |
| Yeast and like products |
| Soybean-based seasonings and condiments |
| Protein products other than from soybeans |
| Dietetic foods intended for special medical purposes (excluding products of food category 13.1) |
| Dietetic formulae for slimming purposes and weight reduction |
| Dietetic foods (e.g. supplementary foods for dietary use) excluding: – Infant formulae, follow-up formulae, and formulae for special medical purposes for infants ( including Infant formulae; Follow-up formulae; Formulae for special medical purposes for infants) – Complementary foods for infants and young children – Dietetic foods intended for special medical purposes – Dietetic formulae for slimming purposes and weight reduction – Food supplements |
| Food supplements |
| Water-based flavoured drinks, including “sport,” “energy,” or “electrolyte” drinks and particulated drinks |
| Beer and malt beverages |
| Cider and perry |
| Wines (other than grape) |
| Mead |
| Distilled spirituous beverages containing more than 15% alcohol |
| Aromatized alcoholic beverages (e.g. beer, wine and spirituous cooler-type beverages, low alcoholic refreshers) |
| Ready-to-eat savouries |
| Prepared foods |