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E1420Modified starchLow concern
Acetylated Starch
In plain words
The short version
An acetylated single-modified starch — improves freeze-thaw stability in frozen foods.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
ADI not specified — considered safe. Treated as a food carbohydrate; modifying reagent residues are limited by regulation.
The detail
Manufactured by reacting native starch with acetic anhydride or vinyl acetate, esterifying a small fraction of the starch hydroxyl groups with acetyl groups. The acetyl groups interfere with re-crystallization (retrogradation) of the starch on cooling — improving freeze-thaw stability.
Used in frozen foods, fruit pie fillings, instant puddings, and salad dressings where the modification must reduce ice-crystal damage during freezing and thawing cycles. Less heavily modified than acetylated distarch adipate (E1422) or acetylated distarch phosphate (E1414).
Off-white powder, similar to native starch in feel but with notably improved freeze-thaw and cold-storage stability.
Permitted in the EU at quantum satis in almost all foods. In processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children, other foods for young children, and dietary foods for special medical purposes for babies and young children, the maximum is 50 g/kg.
Sources
- EFSA: Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404) ... acetylated starch (E 1420) ... and starch aluminium octenyl succinate (E 1452) as food additives (EFSA Journal 2017;15(10):4911), PMC full text — European Food Safety Authority (ANS Panel), 2017. No numerical ADI needed; no safety concern
- WHO JECFA database: Starch acetate (INS 1420), ADI not specified (82nd meeting, 2016) — WHO / FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2016. ADI not specified
- US eCFR: 21 CFR 172.892 Food starch-modified — US Office of the Federal Register / FDA, 2026. US status; limit on modifying reagent (acetyl content)
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.