The chemically modified starches are regulated globally by various organizations; hence, different regulations are applied depending on the extent of chemical modification, the function in food products, and the country of origin. The chemically modified starch is designated as food additive and is required to label the name of additive as “food starch-modified” on the package or the function of the food additive in that food.
In Europe, the food label is indicated with E numbers, for which no maximum numerical level is specified for most of the food products, except “cream and cream powder with fat content less than 20%” and “cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children” are fixed to a certain amount of addition (The European Parliament and Council on Food Additives, 2008).
In Australia and New Zealand, International Numbering System (INS) number is used, which is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and most of food additives must be listed by their class name followed by the food additive number or the code (FAO/ WHO Standards, 2017) (Table 1). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescribed a regulation, 21 CFR 172.892, to ensure the safe quantities for the application of chemically modified starch in food products (Table 2).
| Type of Modified Starch | E Number | INS Numberb | Function (CCFAC)b |
| Dextrins, roasted starch white and yellow | 1400a | Carrier, emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener | |
| Acid-treated starch | 1401a | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener | |
| Alkaline treated starch | 1402a | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener | |
| Bleached starch | 1403a | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener | |
| Oxidized starch | E1404 | 1404 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Starches, enzyme-treated | 1405a | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener | |
| Etherified Starch | |||
| Hydroxypropyl starch | E1440 | 1440 | Stabilizer, thickener |
| Esterified Starch | |||
| Distarch phosphate trimetaphosphate | E1412 | 1412 | Stabilizer, thickener |
| Starch acetate esterified with acetic anhydride | E1420 | 1420 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Starch sodium octenyl succinate | E1450 | 1450 | Stabilizer, thickener |
| Cross-Linked Starch | |||
| Monostarch phosphate | E1410 | 1410 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Etherified + Esterified Modified Starch | |||
| Phosphated distarch phosphate | E1413 | 1413 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Acetylated distarch phosphate | E1414 | 1414 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Acetylated distarch adipate | E1422 | 1422 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate | E1442 | 1442 | Anticaking agent, stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener |
| Acetylated oxidized starch | E1451 | 1451 | Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener |
| Starch aluminum octenyl succinate | E1452 | 1452 | Anticaking agent, carrier, stabilizer |
aDextrin; bleached starch; and starches modified by acid, alkali, and enzyme or by physical treatment are not considered as food additives in the context of the Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008.
bInternational Numbering System (INS) 1989 CAC/GL 36-1989, by Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants CCFAC, adopted in 1989, revised in 2008 and amended in 2017.
| Reactant | Limitations |
| Acid-Treated Starch | |
| Hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid or both | |
| Bleached Starch | |
| Active oxygen hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid | <0.45% |
| Ammonium persulfate and sulfur dioxide | (NH4)2S2O8 <0.075%; SO2 <0.05% |
| Calcium hypochlorite | <0.036% d.b. Used only as a component of batter |
| Sodium hypochlorite | <0.0082% d.b. |
| Potassium permanganate | <0.2% and residual manganese (calculated as Mn) <50 ppm |
| Sodium chlorite | <0.5% |
| Oxidized Starch | |
| Sodium hypochlorite | <0.055% d.b. |
| Cross-Linked Starch | |
| Phosphorus oxychloride | <0.1% |
| Phosphorus oxychloride followed by either acetic anhydride or vinyl acetate | Anhydride <8%, vinyl acetate <7.5%, with acetyl groups <2.5% |
| Sodium trimetaphosphate | Residual phosphate <0.04% |
| Sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium trimetaphosphate | Residual phosphate <0.4% |
| Etherified Starch | |
| Acrolein | C3H4O <0.6% |
| Epichlorohydrin | C3H5CIO <0.3% |
| Epichlorohydrin and propylene oxide added in combination or in any sequence | C3H5ClO <0.1%, CH3CHCH2O <10%, and residual propylene chlorohydrin <5 ppm |
| Epichlorohydrin followed by propylene oxide | C3H5ClO <0.1%; CH3CHCH2O <25% |
| Propylene oxide | <25% |
| Esterified Starch | |
| Acetic anhydride | Acetyl groups <2.5% |
| Adipic anhydride and acetic anhydride | <0.12% |
| Monosodium orthophosphate | Residual phosphate <0.4% |
| 1-Octenyl succinic anhydride | <3% |
| 1-Octenyl succinic anhydride and aluminum sulfate | <2% |
| 1-Octenyl succinic anhydride followed by treatment with a β-amylase enzyme | <3%, limited use as a stabilizer or emulsifier in beverage |
| Succinic anhydride | C4H4O3 <4% |
| Vinyl acetate | Acetyl groups <2.5% |
| Esterified + Etherified Starch | |
| Acrolein and vinyl acetate | C3H4O <0.6%; C4H6O2 <7.5%; and acetyl groups <2.5% |
| Epichlorohydrin and acetic anhydride | C3H5ClO <0.3% and acetyl groups <2.5% |
| Epichlorohydrin and succinic anhydride | C3H5ClO <0.3%; C4H4O3 <4% |
| Phosphorus oxychloride and propylene oxide | POCl3 <0.1%; CH3CHCH2O <10%; and residual propylene chlorohydrin <5 ppm |
Source: REGULATION (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives; FDA 21 CFR 172.892