Skip to main content
Log in

Modified food starches in baby foods

  • Special Article
  • Published:
The Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Modified food starches were developed as a stabilizer, providing desirable consistency, texture, and storage ability. They are used primarily in strained and junior foods and, to a minor extent, in infant formulas. However, despite the fact that there is an increasing tendency to introduce solid foods to infants at a very early age, there is few long-term studies to delineate the effect of starch feeding on the growth of young infants.

Modified food starches used by the food industry for infants and young children are of concern and there is an urgent need for additional data regarding their bioavailability, effect on nutrient absorption, intestinal changes, and toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects. Therefore, the inclusion of modified food starches should be used prudently and sparingly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lilibridge CB, Towns PL. Physiologic deficiency of pancreatic amylase in infancy: a factor in iatrogenic diarrhea.J Pediatr 1973;. 82: 279–282.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lebenthal E. Use of modified food starches in infant nutrition.Am J Dis Child 1978; 132:850–852.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Safety and suitability of modified food starches for use in baby food. The subcommittee on the evaluation of the safety of modified food starches in infant foods, committee on nutrition,American Academy of Pediatrics, Houston, 1977.

  4. Fomon SJ.Infant nutrition. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders CO., 1974; p. 30.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lee PC, Nord S, Lebenthal E. Digestibility of starches in infants. In: Lebenthal E (ed)The book of Gastroenterology and Nutrition in Infancy. New York, Raven Press, 1981; 423–433.

    Google Scholar 

  6. DeVizia B, Cizcimarra F, DeCicco N, Auricchio S. Digestibility of starches in infants and children.J Pediatr 1975; 86: 50–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fleming SE, Vose JR. Digestibility of raw and cooked starches from legume seeds using the laboratory rat.J Nutr 1979; 109: 2067–2075.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Snow P, O’Dea K. Factors affecting the rate of hydrolysis of starch in food.Clin Nutr 1981; 34: 2721–2727.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lee PC, Brooks SP, Kim OK, Heitlinger LA, Lebenthal E. Digestibility of native and modified starches:in vitro studies with human and pancreatic amylases andin vivo studies in rabbits.J Nutr 1985; 115 : 93–103.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Crapo PA, Reaven G, Olefsky JO. Postprandial plasma-glucose and insulin responses to different complex carbohydrates.Diabetes 1977; 26 ; 1173–1183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Crapo PA, Insel J, Sperling M, Kolterman OG. Comparison of serum glucose, insulin and glucagon responses to different types of complex carbohydrates in noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients.Am J Clin Nutr 1981; 34:184–190.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chen SC, Tsai S, Nesheim MC. Responses of rats fed diets low in glucose and glucose precursors to low levels of glucose, starch and chemically modified starch.J Nutr 1980; 110:1023–1031.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hood LF, Arneson V.In vitro digestibility of hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate and unmodified tapioca starch.Cereal Chem 1976; 53: 282–290.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lebenthal E, Rolston DDK, Hosclaw DS. Enzyme therapy for pancreatic insufficiency. Present status and future needs.Pancreas 1994; 9:1–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lebenthal E, U KM, Zheng BY, Lu RB, Lerner A. Small intestinal glucoamylase deficiency and starch malabsorption: a newly recognized alpha-glucosidase deficiency in children.J Pediatr 1994; 124 : 541–546.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hood LF, Vancampen DR, House WA,et al. Effect of modified and unmodified tapioca starches on Fe retention in rats.J Nutr 1976; 106:1768–1772.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. De Groot AP, Firon HP, Van der Meulen HC,et al. Two year feeding and multigeneration studies in rats of five chemically modified starches.Food Cosmet Toxicol 1974; 12: 651–663.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hodgkinson A, David D, Fourman J, Robertson WG, Roe FJ. A comparison of the effects of lactose and of two chemically modified waxy maize starches on mineral metabolism in the rat.Food Chem Toxicol 1982; 20: 371–382.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Van Duuren BL, Goldschmidt BM, Atz C,et al. Carcinogenic activity of alkylating agents.J Natl Cancer Inst 1974; 53: 697–700.

    Google Scholar 

  20. De Groot AP, Spanjers MY. Observations in rats fed on diets containing five different chemically modified starches. Report R 3096. Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek. Ziest, The Netherlands, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Uwe Blecker M.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lanciere, S., Mehta, D.I., Blecker, U. et al. Modified food starches in baby foods. Indian J Pediatr 65, 541–546 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02730890

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02730890

Key words

Navigation