Modifed food starch is typically gluten-free in the United States. It is an ingredient commonly seen on both gluten-free and gluten-containing packaged foods.

How to Tell if Modified Food Starch is Gluten-Free

The vast majority of modified food starch in the US is gluten-free. Generally, modified food starch is made from corn, waxy maize and potatoes, meaning that those types are gluten-free.

Modified food starch may contain wheat. However, if the product containing modified food starch does use wheat, it must be declared on the food label as per the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumber Protection Act (FALCPA), which declares that the top eight allergens must be called out on a food label. It’s important to know that this rule only applies to foods regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Foods regulated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) do not need to comply with FALCPA, though many do.

Click here to see which foods are regulated by the FDA.

The top eight allergens included in FALCPA are:

• Wheat
• Soy
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts
• Peanuts
• Milk
• Eggs