E1411 - Distarch glycerol

At a glance

• What it is: a starch that’s been lightly cross‑linked using glycerol so it stays stable during cooking and storage
• What it does: thickens, stabilizes, and helps water and oil stay mixed
• Where you’ll see it: soups, sauces, pie fillings, dairy desserts, plant‑based alternatives, and dressings
• Label names: “E1411,” “distarch glycerol,” or, in the U.S., “modified food starch”
• Safety: evaluated by regulators; no safety concern at permitted uses

Why is Distarch glycerol added to food?

Food makers use distarch glycerol to keep texture consistent. It resists thinning when heated, holds up to mixing and pumping, and reduces “syneresis” (water weeping) in gels and fillings. It also improves freeze–thaw stability, so products like frozen meals or desserts stay smooth after defrosting. These properties are why E1411 shows up where reliable, repeatable thickness matters.

What foods contain Distarch glycerol?

E1411 appears across many everyday foods that need body and stability, such as:

• Canned and chilled soups and sauces
• Fruit preparations and pie fillings
• Yogurt-style and non‑dairy desserts
• Salad dressings and mayonnaise‑type sauces
• Ready meals and frozen entrees

In the United States, it falls under the general category “food starch‑modified,” which is allowed for use in food when made with specified, food‑grade reagents and used as a stabilizer, thickener, or texturizer.¹ In the European Union, it is authorized as E1411 with its own purity criteria and identity specification.²

What can replace Distarch glycerol?

The best substitute depends on the recipe and process:

• Other modified starches for heat and processing tolerance:
  • distarch phosphate
  • phosphated distarch phosphate
  • hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate
  • acetylated distarch adipate
  • hydroxypropyl starch or acetylated starch
• Hydrocolloids (gums) for strong thickening or gel support:
  • xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agar, pectin
• Native starches (corn, potato, tapioca) where processing is gentle and freeze–thaw stability is not critical

How is Distarch glycerol made?

Distarch glycerol is produced by treating edible starch with approved agents so that some starch chains are joined (cross‑linked) through glycerol groups. This controlled modification forms a network that is more resistant to heat, shear, and acid than the original starch. In the U.S., these materials are regulated under “food starch‑modified,” including the requirement that only specified, food‑grade reagents are used and that the ingredient is declared appropriately on labels.¹ In the EU, E1411 has defined identity and purity criteria set in law, including limits on residual reagents and by‑products to ensure food‑grade quality.²

Is Distarch glycerol safe to eat?

Regulators have assessed modified starches as a group. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded there is no safety concern for the general population at the reported uses and levels, and that a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is not needed.³ EFSA also noted that these starches are handled by the body much like regular dietary starch: they are broken down to simple sugars or fermented by gut bacteria, and they are not absorbed intact.³ In the U.S., food starch‑modified (which covers distarch glycerol) is permitted for use under specific manufacturing and labeling conditions.¹

Does Distarch glycerol have any benefits?

For food makers and cooks, E1411 offers reliable thickening and texture that holds up to processing, transport, and storage. It helps reduce water separation, keeps emulsions creamy, and improves freeze–thaw stability in chilled or frozen foods. Nutritionally, it behaves like other starches and mainly contributes carbohydrate; it does not add sweetness or flavor.

Who should avoid Distarch glycerol?

• If you have a wheat allergy or celiac disease: distarch glycerol can be made from various starch sources (corn, potato, tapioca, wheat). In the U.S., major allergens such as wheat must be declared on the label, so check ingredient lists or contact the manufacturer if you are unsure of the starch source.⁴
• If you are following a very low‑carbohydrate diet, remember that modified starches still count toward carbohydrate intake.

Most people do not need to avoid E1411 specifically unless advised by a healthcare professional.

Myths & facts

• “Modified” does not mean genetically modified. Here, “modified” refers to food‑grade processing of starch to change its cooking and texture behavior.
• It is not a sweetener. Distarch glycerol does not add sweetness.
• It is regulated. Both the EU and U.S. set clear manufacturing, purity, and labeling rules for this ingredient to ensure it is food‑grade.²¹

Distarch glycerol in branded foods

On ingredient labels, you may see it listed as “Distarch glycerol,” “E1411” (common in the EU), or “modified food starch” (common in the U.S.). U.S. regulations specifically require the term “food starch‑modified” or “modified food starch” in the ingredient list.¹ If the source is a major allergen like wheat, that allergen must also be declared on the label in plain language.⁴

References

Footnotes

1. Food starch-modified — U.S. FDA (21 CFR 172.892). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-I/section-172.892 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Specifications for food additives (including E 1411) — Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Re-evaluation of modified starches (E 1404–1450) as food additives — EFSA Journal. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4639 ↩ ↩²

4. Food Allergies — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/food-allergies ↩ ↩²