E1422 - Acetylated distarch adipate

At a glance

This additive is a “modified starch,” meaning its starch molecules are gently changed to improve performance in food. It holds texture under heat, acid, and mixing, and helps prevent water from separating out. It is permitted in both the EU and the U.S. when made to strict specifications and used as intended.¹²³

• Additive name: Acetylated distarch adipate
• E-number: E1422
• Functions: thickener, stabiliser, emulsifier
• Typical sources: plant starch (corn, potato, tapioca)
• Key properties: good heat, acid, shear, and freeze–thaw stability⁴

Why is Acetylated distarch adipate added to food?

Manufacturers add E1422 to keep foods thick, smooth, and stable. It resists breakdown during cooking, pasteurisation, and hot-filling, and it helps products stay stable when frozen and thawed. It also reduces “syneresis,” the watery separation you might see in pie fillings or sauces.⁴

What foods contain Acetylated distarch adipate?

You’ll often find E1422 in foods that need reliable, long-lasting thickness and a glossy, smooth body. Examples include soups, sauces and gravies, pie fillings, salad dressings, dairy desserts, and some canned or frozen ready meals.¹

What can replace Acetylated distarch adipate?

Alternatives depend on the recipe and processing:

• Other modified starches with similar roles: acetylated starch, acetylated distarch phosphate, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, distarch phosphate, oxidised starch, or starch sodium octenyl succinate.
• Gums and hydrocolloids for thickening or stabilising: xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, or pectin.
• Process tweaks: using a blend of native starches and milder processing can sometimes achieve a similar texture.

How is Acetylated distarch adipate made?

E1422 starts as a food starch. It is then gently “cross-linked” with adipic anhydride and “acetylated” with acetic anhydride. These steps create small bridges between starch chains and add acetyl groups, which boost stability and texture. In the U.S., the finished starch must meet strict limits: the bound adipate content may not exceed 0.09% by weight, and the acetyl content may not exceed 2.5% by weight.³ The EU also sets identity and purity specifications for E1422.²

Is Acetylated distarch adipate safe to eat?

Yes—when used as intended. In its 2017 review, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that modified starches including E1422 are of no safety concern at reported uses and set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of “not specified,” which is assigned to additives of very low toxicity used as needed in food.¹ In the U.S., E1422 falls under “food starch-modified,” which is permitted for direct use in food within the regulations of 21 CFR 172.892.³ Modified starches are digested similarly to regular starch and their breakdown products are handled normally by the body.¹

Does Acetylated distarch adipate have any benefits?

For food texture, E1422 is reliable. It thickens and stabilises foods that face heat, acid, and mixing, and it helps products keep their structure after freezing and thawing.⁴ For consumers, that means sauces that don’t split and fillings that don’t weep.

Who should avoid Acetylated distarch adipate?

• If you have a wheat allergy or must avoid gluten, check labels. Modified starch can be made from different plants; in the U.S., if it is derived from wheat, “wheat” must appear on the label per allergen rules.⁵ In the EU, allergens—including wheat—must be clearly declared on ingredient lists.⁶
• If you are following a diet that limits carbohydrates, you may choose to avoid modified starches for personal dietary reasons. Ask a health professional if unsure.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “E1422 is plastic or glue in food.” Fact: It is a food starch from plants that has been lightly modified for stability; it is digestible like other starches.¹
• Myth: “E1422 is banned.” Fact: It is permitted with specifications in the EU and is allowed in the U.S. as a modified food starch under federal regulations.²³
• Myth: “E1422 always causes watery separation.” Fact: One of its main roles is actually to reduce syneresis and improve freeze–thaw stability in foods.⁴

Acetylated distarch adipate in branded foods

On ingredient lists, look for “acetylated distarch adipate,” “modified starch (E1422),” or simply “modified starch,” depending on local labelling rules and space. The E-number and name are defined in EU specifications for food additives.²

References

Footnotes

1. Re-evaluation of modified starches (E 1404–1451) as food additives — EFSA Journal, 2017. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4911 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives — eur-lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. 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

4. Modified starches (Safety evaluation) — WHO JECFA (IPCS INCHEM). http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v46je01.htm ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

5. Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, including the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergens-gluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/questions-and-answers-regarding-food-allergens ↩

6. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (allergen listing) — eur-lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj ↩