What are the health risks of modified starch?!
Answers: I assume it is not genetically modified, as I have been seeing it on food labels for many years and I think genetic modification is something relatively new, but still, can anybody tell me if this is an ingredient I should avoid and why?
No need to avoid it. It's been around for years and is used everywhere.
What modified starch is, is simply any starch (usually corn) that has been treated with acid or sometimes enzymes to give it slightly different properties. For example sometimes a product developer wants a food like a sauce to thicken only after it has been heated to a certain temperature, so they use a starch that has been modified to do just that. Another example is a product developer might want a sauce that is not as thick as one you would get with an unmodified starch so he or she selects a modified starch with provides those properties.
Hope this helps, you have nothing to worry about.
PhD Food Chemistry and Nutrition
its definitely not genetically modified, thats all i can tell you for sure.
i dont think they pose any major health risks, but try to avoid using them, as most modified or refined foods are usually best avoided.
although it would hurt to add it every now and then to set jelly or something. thats fine, just don't use it too much all the time.