Codex wheat starch

What is it?

Codex wheat starch is specially manufactured wheat starch that has been washed to remove the gluten to a trace level within the Codex standard.

Codex wheat starch is used as an ingredient by some manufacturers who produce gluten-free food for prescription sales as it improves the taste and texture of the food, making it more like the gluten-containing varieties.

Whilst the majority of people with coeliac disease can tolerate codex wheat starch, there are those who are more sensitive and suffer symptoms if they eat products containing it, and so need to choose products labelled 'gluten-free/wheat free' .

It is accepted that there is also likely to be an 'additive effect', which means that large amounts of products containing codex wheat starch eaten on a regular basis may trigger symptoms in more sensitive people

Products that contain Codex wheat starch are highlighted in the Gluten-free Food and Drink Directory with a black triangle.