By Joann DiFabio

Often, when reading ingredient labels, you may see cornstarch listed as well as modified cornstarch. You may ask yourself, “What’s the difference?"

"Isn’t all cornstarch the same?” The answer is yes and no. Cornstarch is always extracted from corn, while modified cornstarch is just that: regular cornstarch modified. Food scientists will modify the chemical structure of regular cornstarch to make it more effective for what product it is being used in.

Generally speaking, cornstarch is used as a thickening agent. If you’ve ever made a Thanksgiving turkey dinner, I’m sure you’ve used it to thicken the drippings from the turkey in order to make some luxuriously thick and velvety gravy. Cornstarch is also used in puddings, pie fillings, and as a talc replacement in baby powder (it helps prevent chafing). It is also found in many gluten-free products and recipes.

Here’s where it gets tricky. When mixed with cold water, cornstarch stays very sticky and pliable. However, when mixed with warm or hot water or heated to high temperatures, it tends to lump and lose its stickiness. Therefore regular cornstarch is not very practical for baked goods because they’ll harden and go stale quicker. That’s where the modification comes in. Scientists can modify the structure of cornstarch so that it won’t lose its stickiness when heated, making it a better “modified” cornstarch for baked goods by keeping them moist and pliable for a longer length of time. The problem with this modification (aside from being modified) is that there are so many ways in which cornstarch can be modified that it’s impossible to know what has been done to it to cohesively blend into what you’re eating.

While cornstarch and modified cornstarch aren’t necessarily harmful to you, it’s always best to stay away from anything “modified”. It’s also a general good rule of thumb to steer clear of corn and corn by-products because of corn’s reputation for being genetically modified. In 2004, over 45% of corn in the U.S. was genetically modified—that is, scientifically “crafted” to produce desirable characteristics. Bottom line, it’s probably best to have your cornstarch dusted on your inner thighs to prevent chafing than in your food.