Acid Treated Starch

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Acid treated starch (INS 1401) is a modified starch produced by treating native food starch slurries with dilute hydrochloric, ortho-phosphoric, or sulphuric acid to reduce viscosity and improve solubility. It is widely used as a thickener, texturizer, and stabiliser in processed foods including confectionery, sauces, and dairy products.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

JECFA and EFSA/SCF have both allocated an ADI of 'not specified', reflecting a broad safety consensus. Modified starches including acid-treated starch are not absorbed intact but are hydrolysed by intestinal enzymes and fermented by gut microbiota, posing no systemic concern. Based on in silico analyses, modified starches are not considered to be of genotoxic concern, and no treatment-related adverse effects relevant to human risk assessment have been identified at typical dietary intakes.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Acid treated starch is permitted under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code as a modified starch (thickener) at GMP levels. JECFA ADI 'not specified' is adopted by reference.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, starch modified by acid treatment is NOT classified as a food additive in the EU (it falls under processing aids / food ingredients). It is therefore permitted for use in food without specific maximum limits as a food additive. JECFA, however, maintains a separate food additive listing with specifications under INS 1401.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Modified starches including acid-treated starch are permitted as food additives under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations. Permitted in various food categories at GMP (quantum satis) levels consistent with JECFA guidance.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Modified food starches, including acid-treated starch, are regulated under 21 CFR 172.892 as permitted food additives. FASEB evaluated modified starches as GRAS ingredients in 1979. No specific numerical ADI or use-level restriction applies to the general population.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Ibs — Modified starches are fermented by intestinal microbiota and may act as fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAP-like), potentially exacerbating bloating, gas, or discomfort in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Gluten Intolerance — Acid treated starch may be derived from wheat; individuals with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity should verify the botanical source before consumption, as wheat-derived starch may carry residual gluten.

Infants — EFSA noted in 2017 that available data did not allow adequate safety assessment of certain modified starches in dietary foods for babies and young children under specific medical conditions (FC 13.1.5.2), and called for additional toxicological data for this age group.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1WHO. JECFA Food Additives Database – Acid Treated Starch (INS 1401). apps.who.int
2FAO. JECFA 86th Meeting – Modified Starches Specifications (2018), 2018. openknowledge.fao.org
3EFSA. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404) and 11 other modified starches as food additives, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
4PubMed. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404), monostarch phosphate (E 1410) [and 10 others] as food additives – EFSA Journal 2017, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5FAO. JECFA Monograph on Modified Starches (74th JECFA, 2011) – FAO JECFA Monographs, 2011. fao.org

Independently researched5 citations