Enzyme-Treated Starch

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Enzyme-treated starch (INS 1405) is a modified starch produced by treating native edible starch with amylolytic enzymes such as alpha-amylase, altering its molecular structure to modify viscosity, solubility, and digestibility. It is used in food manufacturing as a thickener, stabilizer, binder, and emulsifier.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

JECFA has allocated an ADI 'not specified' for modified starches including enzyme-treated starch, indicating no safety concern at typical food-use levels. In humans, modified starches are not absorbed intact but are significantly hydrolysed by intestinal enzymes and then fermented by the intestinal microbiota. Based on in silico analyses, modified starches are not considered to be of genotoxic concern, and no treatment-related effects relevant to human risk assessment were observed in animal studies at very high doses.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, starch treated by amylolytic enzymes is explicitly excluded from the definition of a food additive and therefore does not carry an E-number. It is not prohibited but is regulated as a food ingredient rather than a food additive in the EU. JECFA (INS 1405) and some non-EU jurisdictions classify it as a food additive.source
JECFA (JECFA (FAO/WHO))	Approved	JECFA recognises enzyme-treated starch under INS No. 1405 as a food additive with ADI 'not specified'. Listed in the FAO/WHO GSFA as 'Starches, enzyme treated (1405)'.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Alpha-amylase enzyme preparations used in starch processing are recognised as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by FDA. Enzyme-treated starch itself is not separately enumerated as a food additive but is implicitly permitted as the product of GRAS enzyme-processing.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — EFSA identified data gaps regarding the safety of certain modified starches (including related enzyme-treated forms) in food for infants below 16 weeks of age, noting that risk assessments for the general population are not considered fully applicable to this age group and separate specific assessments are required.

Ibs — Enzyme-treated starch is significantly fermented by intestinal microbiota; in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome, fermentable carbohydrates may exacerbate symptoms such as bloating or discomfort.

Gluten Intolerance — Enzyme-treated starch may be derived from wheat; individuals with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance should verify the botanical source to ensure it is gluten-free.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1WHO. JECFA Database: Modified Starches (INS 1400–1452). apps.who.int
2other. GSFA Online Food Additive Details for Starches, enzyme treated (1405). fao.org
3other. JECFA Monograph 16: Modified Starches (FAO JECFA Monographs). fao.org
4EFSA. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404), monostarch phosphate (E 1410) ... and starch aluminium octenyl succinate (E 1452) as food additives, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
5PubMed. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404) ... and starch aluminium octenyl succinate (E 1452) as food additives, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations