Corn starch

Corn starch suppliers and sourcing guide

Corn starch is the starch separated from corn kernels by wet milling: the kernels are steeped, ground, and the starch is separated from germ, fiber and protein, then washed and dried to a white powder. It is the most widely produced food starch and the usual feedstock for maltodextrin, glucose syrups and modified starches. Brands buy native corn starch as a thickener and dusting powder, and pharmacopeial grades as a tablet and capsule filler.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Starches, carriers and excipients
Also known as: Maize starch · Zea mays starch · Cornstarch · Starch, corn
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of corn starch

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

Native (unmodified) corn starch
Regular dent corn starch, roughly one quarter amylose, used for cooked thickening and as a filler.
Waxy corn starch
From waxy maize varieties that are almost all amylopectin, giving clearer, less gelling pastes.
Pharmacopeial grade
Corn starch tested to the USP-NF or Ph. Eur. monograph for use in tablets and capsules.
Organic and non-GMO
Starch from certified organic or non-GMO identity-preserved corn, offered at a premium by fewer mills.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Identity and starch content: Microscopy and iodine identity, with starch on a dry basis; pharmacopeial grades follow the monograph tests.
Moisture: Loss on drying, usually around 10% to 14% for native corn starch.
Protein, ash and fat: Residual protein, fat and ash, which show how cleanly the starch was separated from the rest of the kernel.
Sulfur dioxide: Residual SO2 from steeping, reported against the supplier or pharmacopeial limit.
Mycotoxins and GMO status: Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin screens on request, and PCR GMO testing for non-GMO claims.
Microbiology: Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms or E. coli, and Salmonella. Starches are dry and low in water activity, but buyers using them uncooked in powders or tablets check micro on every lot.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Store in sealed bags in a dry, cool area off the floor, away from odors and pests. Corn starch absorbs moisture readily and fine dust can be an explosion hazard in bulk handling, so keep containers closed and follow dust-control practice. Suppliers set shelf life in the specification, and retest moisture and micro on older stock.

Lots and expiry dates

Moisture and viscosity shift slightly between lots and mills. Record moisture, viscosity (if you cook it) and the non-GMO or organic certificate per lot, and keep pharmacopeial and food grades separate in inventory.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

7 CFR 205.606 lists cornstarch (native) among the nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed in products labeled "organic", only when the product is not commercially available in organic form.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists cornstarch (also called maize starch) with technical effects including anticaking or free-flow agent, drying agent, formulation aid and stabilizer or thickener.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists corn starch (Starch - Maize) with allowed oral non-medicinal purposes of binder, diluent and disintegrant.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Corn starch suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking corn starch suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of corn starch can brands buy?

Common forms include native (unmodified) corn starch, waxy corn starch, pharmacopeial grade and organic and non-GMO. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for corn starch include?

Expect identity and starch content, moisture, protein, ash and fat, sulfur dioxide, mycotoxins and GMO status and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should corn starch be stored?

What is the regulatory status of corn starch?

7 CFR 205.606 lists cornstarch (native) among the nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed in products labeled "organic", only when the product is not commercially available in organic form. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists cornstarch (also called maize starch) with technical effects including anticaking or free-flow agent, drying agent, formulation aid and stabilizer or thickener. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists corn starch (Starch - Maize) with allowed oral non-medicinal purposes of binder, diluent and disintegrant.

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