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Expandex- Modified Tapioca Starch?

Lisa16

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Lisa16 Collaborator
Lisa16
Posted

Does anybody know about this stuff? I looked up expandex and all I could find was that it is a modified tapioca starch. But what does this mean, exactly? How is it modified and is it something we have to worry about?

Thanks!

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psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Modified starch is starch that has been partially broken down. Unless it is from a gluten grain, which tapioca is not, it is suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Lisa16 Collaborator
Lisa16
Posted
  • Author

Sorry Peter-- I didn't mean if we had to worry if it was gluten free or not. I meant if we had to worry about any adverse effects from the "modified" part.

Broken down how? What does this do-- I mean, what is the purpose of modifying it? And what does it do inside of bake goods? And wht does it do inside of you when you eat it?

It seems to me that lots of people are slightly worried about modified starches and this is the first one I have encountered (that I noticed.)

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Here is a link to Wikipedia regarding modified starch. Modified starch is very common.

HTH

Lisa16 Collaborator
Lisa16
Posted
  • Author

Hey thanks!

After reading the link, I bet it is the genetically modified starches that people are worried about. I feel better now.

I will go make an angel food cake now.

  • 3 years later...
pennypal Newbie
pennypal
Posted

If Expandex is "just Modified tapioca starch" why does it have a trade name,?

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

This topic is almost four years old, so I'm unsure why we are reviving it now.

If Expandex is "just Modified tapioca starch" why does it have a trade name,?

"Accent" is just monosodium glutamate. Why does it have a trade name? Answer: So you will associate a specific brand in your mind, and purchase that brand rather than a generic form of the same substance. Marketing 101.

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pennypal Newbie
pennypal
Posted

I didn't realize it was an old forum. I hope it gets re-activated because today I have what I call a "chemical" hangover. All my muscles ache. I made pizza last night with a very popular brand of commercial crust. I knew better. About 2-3 months age I ate at my favorite Pizza place (gluten free) next morning I ached all over. I ate there one more time before I realized they had changed their crust. I asked their response was "same crust", I checked label, it's ingredients used to say tapioca starch now says "_____'s Best Blend (tapioca starch).

I have sent this question out before because I think Tapioca is being modified like wheat has been. I also have had a reaction to an "absolutely delicious gluten-free cupcake" I now bake all my own products. Your reference to Accent is more accurate than you realize.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I didn't realize it was an old forum. I hope it gets re-activated because today I have what I call a "chemical" hangover. All my muscles ache. I made pizza last night with a very popular brand of commercial crust. I knew better. About 2-3 months age I ate at my favorite Pizza place (gluten free) next morning I ached all over. I ate there one more time before I realized they had changed their crust. I asked their response was "same crust", I checked label, it's ingredients used to say tapioca starch now says "_____'s Best Blend (tapioca starch).

I have sent this question out before because I think Tapioca is being modified like wheat has been. I also have had a reaction to an "absolutely delicious gluten-free cupcake" I now bake all my own products. Your reference to Accent is more accurate than you realize.

Tapioca is gluten free.

pennypal Newbie
pennypal
Posted

Tapioca is gluten free.

I guess I am on the wrong forum. I know it is gluten-free but my issue is that there are a lot of gluten-free things that have "modified starch" in them. Only in the last few years have gluten-free products had modified starches that had a "NAME" like Expandex

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I guess I am on the wrong forum. I know it is gluten-free but my issue is that there are a lot of gluten-free things that have "modified starch" in them. Only in the last few years have gluten-free products had modified starches that had a "NAME" like Expandex

If it says modified tapioca starch, then it is tapioca made into a starch. It can't have wheat or some other starch added to it. Not really sure what you are saying?

Not sure why the pizza crust company thinks the brand of tapicoa matters so much that they "name" it in the ingredients. Perhaps they get a discount for listing it by brand name? They could just say tapioca starch and not mention a brand.

I don't think there is anything dangerous about listing a brand name. I have seen products that say "made with real Land of Lakes butter" or "made with Somebody's Sea salt" (Can't remember that salt brand so I guess the advertising didn't work! :blink: )

auzzi Newbie
auzzi
Posted

Expandex® is an American product - a lot of consumers like to know where there food originates. It emphasizes that fact that it is totally gluten-free in the US market-place:

http://expandexglutenfree.com/index.php

  • 5 years later...
ccraigen Newbie
ccraigen
Posted

Does anybody have a suggestion where to buy expanded modified tapioca starch in Canada?  I have not found it in stores and any online store (amazon, Modernist Pantry) charges more than the price of the produce in shipping costs. 

Thanks.

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