Acetylated Starch (E1421): What It Is and Is It Safe?
This modified starch is produced by esterifying food starch with vinyl acetate, introducing acetyl groups that improve clarity, freeze-thaw stability and film-forming. It differs from the EU-authorised acetylated starch E1420, which uses acetic anhydride as the esterifying agent. Digestive enzymes hydrolyse the starch backbone to glucose, and modified starches are handled by the body much like native starch. The vinyl-acetate-esterified form is not authorised as a food additive in the EU or UK.
- Category
- Modified Starch / Thickener — Modified starch
- Typically used in
- Thickener and stabiliser giving clarity and freeze-thaw stability in sauces, fillings and frozen foods, where permitted.
- Regulatory status
- Not authorised as a food additive in the EU or UK; only the acetic-anhydride acetylated starch E1420 is permitted.
- Also listed as
- Vinyl Acetate Esterified
Scrannr flags Acetylated Starch automatically when you scan a barcode.
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2017) — Re-evaluation of oxidised starch and other modified starches as food additives https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7009865/
- UK Food Standards Agency (2024) — Approved additives and E numbers https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
Products containing Acetylated Starch
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Acetylated Starch, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
Let Scrannr read the label.
Scan a barcode and get the additives flagged in plain English, plus a clear health score. Free to download.