Safe Ingredients that Sound Suspicious but Aren't

Maltodextrin: Although the first four letters of its name make it sound suspicious, the "malt" in maltodextrine has nothing to do with barley malt. In the United States, maltodextrine in food is gluten-free, according to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Citation 21CFR 184.1444.
Starch: In the United States, plain old "starch" when found on a list is corn starch; the FDA mandates that this is so. On the other hand this is not true of "modified food starch" which cannot be assumed to be corn. Modified food starch can come from about any source (I have personally seen it be wheat, corn, potato and tapioca). Only plain old "starch" and only in foods -- not drugs -- can you be certain. The citation for this one is Compliance Policy Guides, Chapter 5-Foods, Sub Chapter 578, Processed Grains, Section 578.100.

Told you it was a short list, didn't I?

Email Me