Corn Flour | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Corn flour is a fine powder milled from dried maize (Zea mays) kernels, available in whole-grain and refined forms. It is a global staple food ingredient used in baking, tortillas, porridges, flatbreads, and as a thickening agent in cooking.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Corn flour is universally recognized as safe by major regulatory bodies including the US FDA, India's FSSAI, and under EU general food law, with no established acceptable daily intake (ADI) restriction. Refined corn flour carries a high glycemic index and has been associated with less favorable metabolic outcomes in individuals with metabolic disorders, while whole-grain forms rich in corn bran are linked to beneficial effects on blood lipids and glycemic control. Aflatoxin B1 contamination from improperly stored maize is a recognized food safety hazard, with case-control evidence linking high corn flour intake in contaminated regions to increased risk of esophageal precancerous lesions.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Corn (maize) flour is a permitted cereal food ingredient under EU general food law; whole grain definitions for maize are addressed in EU Regulation No 1308/2013. No E-number or specific ADI assigned as corn flour is a primary food ingredient, not a food additive.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Corn flour (also referred to as Cornflour/Maize starch) is explicitly listed and regulated as a cereal product under Chapter 2.4 (Cereals and Cereal Products) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Standards govern moisture content, purity, and permissible additives.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Corn flour is a recognized staple food ingredient; FDA specifically regulates corn masa flour for mandatory folic acid fortification under 21 CFR Part 137. No ADI applies as it is a whole food, not a chemical additive.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Diabetes — Refined corn flour has a high glycemic index and has been linked to less favorable glycemic control in individuals with metabolic disorders; whole-grain corn flour with added bran may be a preferable alternative per scoping review evidence.

Heart Disease — Refined corn products have been associated with less favorable lipid profiles, while bran-enriched corn flour has shown benefits for cardiometabolic outcomes in adults with elevated cholesterol per randomized crossover trial data.

Ibs — High refined starch content in processed corn flour products may exacerbate digestive symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome when consumed in large quantities.

Infants — Unfortified corn flour is low in key micronutrients; WHO guidelines specifically highlight the need for fortification of maize flour to prevent nutritional deficiencies in vulnerable populations including young children.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Corn Masa Flour (Fortifying Corn Masa Flour Products with Folic Acid) — Food Additives & Petitions. fda.gov
2WHO. Fortification of Maize Flour and Corn Meal with Vitamins and Minerals — WHO Guideline Executive Summary. who.int
3PubMed. Effects of Corn Flour Consumption on Human Health across the Lifespan: A Scoping Review, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Corn Flour Intake, Aflatoxin B1 Exposure, and Risk of Esophageal Precancerous Lesions in a High-Risk Area of Huai'an, China: A Case-Control Study, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5FSSAI. Chapter 2.4: Cereals and Cereal Products — Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, 2011. fssai.gov.in

Independently researched5 citations