Nişasta sodyum oktenil suksinat

Detailed information

What it is & how it is made

A modified starch obtained from plant starch by esterification with octenylsuccinic anhydride; it is one of the twelve modified starches authorised in the EU.

Where it is used

Used as a thickener, stabiliser, gelling agent and bulking agent. Under Annex II of EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 modified starches are authorised at quantum satis within the Group I additives; the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives follows the same list. Numerical maximum levels apply in food categories intended for infants and young children; EFSA reported that the currently authorised maximum levels in categories 13.1.5.1 and 13.1.5.2 are in the range of 20,000-50,000 mg/kg.

Health note

In EFSA's 2017 re-evaluation (EFSA Journal 2017;15(10):4911) twelve modified starches were assessed together; the Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) and identified no safety concern for the general population at the reported use levels. The Panel reported that modified starches are not absorbed intact but are largely hydrolysed by intestinal enzymes and then fermented by the intestinal microbiota, and that on the basis of in silico analyses they are not of concern with respect to genotoxicity. The Panel also stated that it could not adequately assess the safety for infants and young children at the currently authorised maximum use levels (20,000-50,000 mg/kg) in food categories 13.1.5.1 and 13.1.5.2. The Panel also noted that gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in infants fed formula containing OSA-modified starch (E 1450).

Halal assessment

The raw material is plant starch; EFSA's 2017 opinion lists potatoes, cereals, tapioca and other plant sources as the origin and reports no animal input. The reagent used in the modification is octenylsuccinic anhydride, which is of chemical origin. Consult the manufacturer's halal certificate for a definitive answer.