INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY

    WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION



    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    FOOD COLOURS, EMULSIFIERS, STABILIZERS,
    ANTI-CAKING AGENTS AND CERTAIN
    OTHER SUBSTANCES



    FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 
    No. 46A WHO/FOOD ADD/70.36




    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome,
    27 May - 4 June 19691





    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

    World Health Organization



                   
    1 Thirteenth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, in press;
    Wld Hlth Org. techn.  Rep. Ser., in press.


    ACID-TREATED STARCHES

    Biological Data

    These modified starches represent an intermediate stage in the normal
    enzymatic digestion of food starch in the human body. This process
    also occurs in the human stomach and results in hydrolysis of some of
    the linkages between adjacent anhydroglucose units with a reduction of
    the mean molecular weight of these starch molecules. In the commercial
    process hydrochloric, sulfuric or phosphoric acid is used and the
    excess is neutralized with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate.

    Subsequent treatment of the modified starch ensures that only traces
    of either sodium chloride sodium sulfate or sodium hydrogen phosphate
    remain behind.

    Comments

    These starches should be regarded as normal constituents of food.

    EVALUATION

    Not limited except for good manufacturing practice.
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Acid-treated starches (WHO Food Additives Series 5)
       Acid-treated starches (WHO Food Additives Series 17)