Maize, also known as corn is a common ingredient used in making starches and modified starches. If you are a gluten-free dieter, then you’ll probably know that corn is gluten-free, but is maize starch gluten-free? The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is a bit more complicated.
Maize or corn starch is made from the corn kernel, which is the fruit of the corn plant. The corn kernel is made up of four parts: the endosperm, the germ, the bran, and the outer covering, or hull. The endosperm is the food part of the corn kernel and is what is commonly called corn starch. This part of the plant is processed into a white powder substance which is called maize starch.
In its natural form, maize starch is gluten-free. However, the starch can be modified to make a modified starch. This is when the starch is treated in a way that makes it suitable for baking and pasting. During the modification process, the maize starch may be combined with other starches, such as wheat starch – This is the point when a starch may start containing gluten. Modified starches can be found in many of the products we buy every day.
You can use our online gluten-free product checker to see if a product is in fact gluten-free or not.
Is Maize Starch Wheat?
No. Maize starch is made from corn. Maize is not related to wheat at all. The corn plant is a member of the grass family, but it is not wheat, rye, or barley. The only time that maize starch may be linked with wheat is during the process of creating modified starches. In this case, the product would be labelled with modified starch in the ingredients list. And will have ‘Wheat’ mentioned in brackets next to it.
Which starch is gluten-free?
The following starches are gluten-free:
- Potato
- Corn/Maize
- Flax
- Arrowroot
- Millet
- Buckwheat
- Amaranth
- Rice
Along with any other starches that are labelled as gluten-free. Please note, that not all starches are gluten-free! For example wheat, rye and barley starches are not gluten-free. Also, oat starches can also contain gluten, if not labelled gluten-free.
Is maize high in gluten?
No. Maize is also known as corn. And corn is naturally gluten-free. However, maize starch and other corn-based starches may contain gluten during the process of modifying the starch. This is when the starch is sometimes combined with other starches, such as wheat starch. In this case, the maize starch may be labelled as modified starch. In the ingredients list, the product will have ‘Wheat’ in brackets next to it.
Is maize corn flour gluten-free?
Yes. Maize is a member of the grass family and is naturally gluten-free. However if the maize corn flour is modified, also known as modified starch, then it may contain gluten. In this example, the maize corn flour may be labelled as modified starch on the product label. And the ingredients list will have ‘Wheat’ in brackets next to it.
In Summary, maize starch is gluten-free. However, if it is modified then it may contain some gluten ingredients. In this case, please read the food label for mentions of wheat or gluten.
