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BACKGROUND:
No standards of identity have been promulgated for food starches.
The
United States Pharmacopeia XVII contains a monograph on starch which
includes this definition: "Starch consists of the granules
separated from the mature grain of Zea Mays, Linne (Fam. Gramineae)".
This is followed by a description of the starch granules, and by purity
specifications.
In
the past the Food and Drug Administration has taken the position that
starch meeting the U.S.P. specification is considered acceptable for
food use.
Modified
food starches are subject to the Food Additives Amendment and
regulations have been promulgated for "food starch -
modified."
POLICY:
In the absence of a standard of identity, starch meeting the
specification of the United States Pharmacopeia is acceptable for food
use.
For
purposes of labeling in accordance with Section 403(i) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and Section 4(a)(1) of the Fair Packaging
and Labeling Act, the term "starch" is considered the common
or usual name for starch made from corn; alternatively, the name
"cornstarch" may be used.
Starches
from other sources should be designated by some non-misleading term that
indicates the source of such starch, for example, "potato
starch," "wheat starch," or "tapioca starch."
The
term "arrowroot" is the common or usual name for starch
obtained from Maranta arundinacea L.
If
the word arrowroot is used to designate similar starches obtained from
other plant sources it should be qualified by some term indicating the
source.
A
regulation has been promulgated to prescribe safe conditions of use for
"food starch-modified" (21 CFR 172.892). This regulation
requires that the label shall bear the name of the additive "food
starch-modified." This name should be used to designate this
additive on labels of fabricated foods in which it is used as an
ingredient.
Source:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg578-100.html
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