Corn Derivatives Cheat Sheet

 

20 Ingredients to Watch Out For When avoiding corn

It’s important to recognize the many different names corn derivatives can go by on ingredient labels. Here are 20 common ones that often come from corn and should be checked carefully:

  1. Citric acid
  2. Dextrose
  3.  Maltodextrin 
  4. Modified food starch 
  5. Corn syrup 
  6. High fructose corn syrup 
  7. Corn oil 
  8. Corn starch 
  9. Natural flavors (may contain corn derivatives)
  10. Ascorbic acid 
  11. Lactic acid (sometimes derived from corn) 
  12. Sodium citrate 
  13. Xanthan gum (sometimes sourced from corn)
  14. Acetic acid (may be corn-derived) 
  15.  Sorbitol 
  16. Sucralose 
  17. Tocopherols (Vitamin E, often corn-derived) 
  18.  Ferrous fumarate 
  19. Calcium phosphate (may be sourced from corn) 
  20. Glucose

 

Important Notes: * Some of these ingredients can be derived from other sources too, such as wheat, tapioca, or beets. When avoiding corn, it’s best to contact manufacturers directly to confirm the source. * “Natural flavors” is a particularly tricky term because it can include corn derivatives without specifically listing them. * Corn is not a top allergen required to be declared on labels, so vigilance is key. 

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