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LOOKING THE OTHER WAY newfangled starches or contend with their ill effects. The wider chal-
Unfortunately—and not surprisingly—nei- lenge that we all need to work toward addressing—and especially at this
ther food scientists nor food regulators appear unprecedented historical juncture—is to ensure that everyone has access
particularly interested in the potential health to this type of diet.
risks associated with modified food starches. A
search of “modified food starch” in the National REFERENCES
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ity than in the U.S., a study published this year people-buying-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.
reported that 54 percent of commonly marketed 5. What is modified food starch (E1404–E1452): Types, uses, and is it gluten-free? Food
food products (the study examined one hundred 6. Additives, January 2, 2020. https://foodadditives.net/starch/modified-food-starch/.
Daniels J. What is modified corn starch? BestSpy, May 4, 2020. https://www.bestspy.
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additive, and more than one in ten (11 percent) 7. Miller B. Bad Gatorade ingredients. Healthfully, July 8, 2011. https://healthfully.
contained at least five additives. Modified 8. com/63889-bad-gatorade-ingredients.html.
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10. Stockton C. Modified food starch demystified. Inside the Mill, May 16, 2012. https://
additives included some of the by-now-familiar www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/modified-food-starch-demystified.
culprits: “artificially sweetened beverages, ice 11. BeMiller JN. One hundred years of commercial food carbohydrates in the United
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that modified starches tended to “cluster” with 14. BeMiller JN, Huber KC. Physical modification of food starch functionalities. Annu
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Nonetheless, a safety review requested by the 15. Searby L. Shades of grey. Food Manufacture, October 1, 2012. https://www.food-
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uses and use levels for the general population.” 28 17. https://www.isitbadforyou.com/questions/is-modified-food-starch-bad-for-you.
If comparable studies were conducted in the 18. Greer FR. Use of starch and modified starches in infant feeding: a historical per-
spective. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2018;66(Suppl 3):S30-S34.
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lence of modified starches and other additives 20. Lanciers S, Mehta DI, Blecker U, Lebenthal E. The role of modified food starches
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fructose. Acta Paediatr. 2001;90(12):1368-1372.
the blogosphere or to online forums populated 23. Fox MK, Pac S, Devaney B, Jankowski L. Feeding infants and toddlers study: What
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fix that readers of this journal will readily 27. Chazelas E, Deschasaux M, Srour B, et al. Food additives: distribution and co-
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understand and embrace. If you eat a mostly 28. Mortensen A, Aguilar F, Crebelli R, et al. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404),
cooked-from-scratch Wise Traditions diet—full . . . and starch aluminium octenyl succinate (E 1452) as food additives. EFSA J.
2017;15(10):e04911.
of real animal fats with bona fide mouthfeel and 29. https://foodbabe.com/possible-gmo-ingredients-a-z/.
high-integrity ingredients—chances are that 30. Asaff B. Identifying modified food starch on labels. https://gluten.lovetoknow.com/
you will never have to cross paths with these Modified_Food_Starch.
40 Wise Traditions FALL 2020