E-numbers / E1403 Other

Bleached starch

also: Modified starch
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The short version

Starch treated with chemical bleaching agents to whiten it. Under EU and UK law, bleached starch is explicitly excluded from the definition of a food additive -- it is not classed as an additive requiring authorisation, which differs from being refused or lacking approval.

Why it's worth knowing

E1403 does not appear on the UK FSA approved additives list or in Annex II of assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008, because bleached starch is categorically excluded from the food additive definition under Article 2(3) of that Regulation. If you see 'E1403' on a UK or EU label, that warrants checking, as the E-number system does not apply to this substance in EU/UK law.

What is it?

Bleached starch is native starch, sourced from wheat, maize, potato or tapioca, that has been treated with chemical bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid or ammonium persulphate. The bleaching process oxidises pigments to produce a whiter, more uniform product. It is assigned INS number 1403 by the Codex Alimentarius / JECFA system. However, under EU Regulation 1333/2008 (Article 2(3)) and its UK-assimilated equivalent, bleached starch is explicitly listed among substances that are not considered to be food additives -- it therefore sits outside the scope of the food additive authorisation framework in the UK and EU entirely.

What does it do?

Bleaching removes naturally occurring yellow-brown pigments from raw starch, improving its visual whiteness and sometimes also altering its functional properties, such as reducing viscosity and improving film-forming ability. In food manufacturing contexts where it is used (in countries that treat it as an additive), it acts as a thickener, stabiliser and texturiser.

Where you will see it

Because bleached starch is not classed as a food additive in the UK or EU, the E1403 designation does not apply under UK/EU food labelling law. In countries that follow Codex Alimentarius standards and permit it as an additive, it may appear in processed foods including noodles, baked goods, sauces and confectionery. On a label in those markets it might appear as 'bleached starch' or 'modified starch'. Seeing 'E1403' on a UK or EU food label would be unusual and warrants scrutiny.

What the science says

Regulatory standing in the UK and EU

Article 2(3) of EU Regulation 1333/2008 contains an explicit list of substances that are not considered to be food additives for the purposes of the Regulation. Bleached starch is named in that list alongside white or yellow dextrin, roasted or dextrinated starch, starch modified by acid or alkali treatment, physically modified starch and starch treated by amylolytic enzymes. This means bleached starch is categorically outside the food additive framework -- it was never submitted for additive authorisation and never refused authorisation, because the EU and UK legislative framework does not classify it as an additive at all. The UK FSA approved additives list, which implements the assimilated version of this Regulation, correspondingly does not include E1403. Permitted modified starches in UK/EU additive law begin at E1404 (oxidised starch).

Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 explicitly lists bleached starch among substances 'not considered to be food additives' for the purposes of the Regulation, alongside dextrins, acid/alkali-treated starch, physically modified starch and enzyme-treated starch.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives, Article 2(3) -- legislation.gov.uk (assimilated UK version)2008regulatory

The UK FSA approved additives reference, implementing assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008, does not include E1403 bleached starch. Permitted modified starches begin at E1404 (oxidised starch).

UK Food Standards Agency, Approved Additives and E Numbers (food.gov.uk)regulatory

JECFA evaluation and ADI

JECFA (the joint FAO/WHO expert committee) has evaluated bleached starch multiple times, most recently in 2016 and 2018, and set the ADI as 'not specified', meaning no numerical limit was considered necessary based on available toxicological data. JECFA evaluations do not confer EU or UK authorisation. The absence of a numerical ADI concern from JECFA contrasts with the EU/UK position, which does not classify bleached starch as a food additive at all. There is therefore no conflict between these two positions: JECFA reviewed it under Codex Alimentarius; the EU and UK simply do not treat it as falling within the food additive category.

JECFA reviewed bleached starch at its 82nd meeting (2016) and 86th meeting (2018) and assigned an ADI of 'not specified', indicating no toxicological ceiling was identified at the levels studied.

JECFA, WHO Food Additives Series / JECFA database, INS 14032018regulatory review

Bleaching agents and residue considerations

The bleaching process typically uses reagents such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid. Residues of these agents are not expected to persist at significant levels in the finished starch, as they decompose or are washed away. However, the specific bleaching agents and their residue limits in finished bleached starch are addressed in Codex specifications, not in EU or UK food additive law, since bleached starch is not categorised as an additive in those jurisdictions.

JECFA specifications for bleached starch (Codex GSFA, INS 1403) describe acceptable bleaching agents and set limits for residual oxidising substances, but these specifications are not adopted into EU or UK food additive law.

Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) / JECFA monographsregulatory

Where it stands with the regulators

Status
Explicitly excluded from the definition of a food additive in the UK and EU. Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (and its UK-assimilated equivalent) lists bleached starch among substances 'not considered to be food additives'. This means it was never submitted for additive authorisation and was not refused -- the food additive framework simply does not apply to it. It holds an INS number (1403) in the Codex Alimentarius system and has been evaluated by JECFA, but that is a separate international standard.
Legal basis
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Article 2(3) (assimilated into UK law). Bleached starch is explicitly named in the list of substances not considered to be food additives. Permitted modified starches in UK/EU additive law run from E1404 (oxidised starch) onwards; E1403 is outside the scope of that framework.
Safe-intake limit (ADI)
Not specified (JECFA, 2016/2018) -- but JECFA's evaluation is under the Codex Alimentarius system; no EU or UK ADI exists because bleached starch is not classified as an additive under EU/UK law
History
JECFA first evaluated bleached starch in 1971-1973 and has revisited it several times, most recently in 2016 and 2018 for specification purposes. Despite a long Codex history, bleached starch is not part of the EU food additive framework at all -- Article 2(3) of Regulation 1333/2008 explicitly excludes it from the definition of a food additive. No application for EU or UK additive authorisation was ever made or refused; the EU and UK simply placed it in a different legal category from the outset. The EU and UK permit a range of chemically modified starches as additives (E1404-E1452), but bleached starch is categorically outside that authorised group.

Who should be careful

Because bleached starch is not classified as a food additive in the UK or EU, the E1403 designation does not appear in UK/EU food labelling law. If you see 'E1403' on a UK or EU food label, that is unusual and warrants scrutiny. No specific population group has been identified as at particular risk from bleached starch itself based on current toxicological evidence from JECFA.

The honest read

Cutting through the noise

The regulatory position of bleached starch is unusual and often misunderstood. It is not that the EU evaluated it and refused to authorise it -- Article 2(3) of EU Regulation 1333/2008 explicitly removes it from the food additive category entirely, along with other forms of minimally processed starch. The E1403 number comes from Codex Alimentarius (the UN food standards body), where it is treated as an additive. The EU and UK drew the boundary differently. The practical effect for UK shoppers is the same: you would not expect to see E1403 on a UK product label, and if you do it warrants checking.

Related additives

More other additives (enzymes, starches, solvents): E1000 · E1100 · E1101 · E1102 · E1103 · E1104 · all E-numbers

Common questions

Is E1403 banned in the UK?

Not exactly. Bleached starch is explicitly excluded from the definition of a food additive under Article 2(3) of EU Regulation 1333/2008, which applies in the UK as assimilated law. It was never classed as an additive requiring authorisation, so it was not 'banned' or 'refused' -- the food additive framework simply does not apply to it. The UK permits a number of chemically modified starches as additives (E1404 through E1452), but bleached starch sits in a different legal category.

Why is bleached starch not approved in the EU or UK when JECFA says it's fine?

JECFA (the joint FAO/WHO committee) evaluates additives for Codex Alimentarius, which provides international guidance, and assigned bleached starch INS number 1403. The EU drew the regulatory boundary differently: Article 2(3) of Regulation 1333/2008 explicitly lists bleached starch among substances 'not considered to be food additives', so it never entered the EU or UK additive authorisation process at all. There is no conflict between JECFA and the EU -- they are operating under different classification frameworks.

What foods contain E1403?

In the UK and EU, E1403 should not appear on food labels, as bleached starch is not classified as a food additive under UK/EU law. In countries that follow Codex Alimentarius standards and treat it as an additive, bleached starch is used in products such as noodles, baked goods, sauces and confectionery as a thickener or texturiser.

Is E1403 vegan?

Bleached starch is derived from plant sources such as maize, wheat, potato or tapioca. It contains no animal-derived ingredients, so it would typically be considered vegan. However, E1403 is not classed as a food additive in UK or EU law, so the designation does not appear in UK/EU labelling.

Sources

Last reviewed: 20 June 2026

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