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Pregelatinised · Oxidised · Cationic · Acetylated · Cross-Linked · Thin Boiled · Dextrin

Modified Starches
Exported from India

India is the third largest global exporter of modified starch. We supply Food, Industrial, Textile, and Pharmaceutical grades to major markets in the UAE, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and beyond.

COA per lot
E-number compliance
Samples arranged in 5 days
MOQ 1 MT
25 kg bags & bulk

What are Modified Starches?

Modified starch is native starch — derived from corn, tapioca/cassava, wheat, potato or rice — that has been chemically, physically or enzymatically treated to alter its functional properties. The term "modified" refers to the functional treatment process — it does not mean genetically modified.

Enhanced Stability

Achieves specific performance characteristics — improved stability under heat, acid, freeze-thaw conditions, higher viscosity, and better film formation that native starch alone cannot deliver.

Market Projection

Global market valued at USD 12.44 billion in 2023, projected to reach USD 18.65 billion by 2032. India's domestic market is forecast to reach USD 804.7 million by 2034.

India as a Global Hub

India is the third largest global exporter of modified starch (HSN 35051090) after Thailand and Vietnam. Our primary export advantage is cost-competitive corn and cassava-based modified starch.

28%
UAE Share
19%
Bangladesh Share
14%
Saudi Arabia Share

Production Hubs

Integrated wet-milling plants are strategically located in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

India's cassava processing belt in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh drives output, making Indian modified cassava starch highly cost-competitive against Thai and Vietnamese competition.

Grades and Types exported from India

4.1 Pregelatinised Starch

Cold Water Soluble Starch
E Number:Not applicable (physically modified)

Native starch is cooked and drum-dried to produce a starch that swells and thickens in cold water without heating. This is the most widely exported Indian modified starch grade.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca · Wheat
Key SpecificationCold water solubility ≥90% · Viscosity as per application · Moisture below 12%
Applications

Instant foods · Soups · Sauces · Oil drilling fluid loss control · Mining explosives (ANFO binder) · Animal feed pellets · Dry mix formulations

Markets: UAE · Saudi Arabia · Bangladesh · Sri Lanka · East Africa

4.2 Oxidised Starch

E Number:E1404

Native starch is treated with sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide — produces starch with lower viscosity, improved clarity, better film-forming properties and enhanced whiteness.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationCarboxyl content 0.1–1.1% · Viscosity as specified · Whiteness index
Applications

Paper coating (surface smoothness and printability) · Textile sizing (yarn strength) · Food (confectionery glazing · noodles)

Markets: Bangladesh (textile and paper sector) · Gulf · Southeast Asia

4.3 Cationic Starch

E Number:Not a food additive — industrial use only

Native starch is treated with a cationic reagent (quaternary ammonium compound) — gives the starch a positive charge enabling it to bond with negatively charged cellulose fibres in paper manufacturing.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationDegree of substitution (DS) 0.02–0.06% · Nitrogen content as specified
Applications

Paper wet-end additive (improves retention, drainage and paper strength) · Textile sizing

Markets: Bangladesh · Southeast Asia (paper mills and textile mills)

4.4 Acetylated Starch

E1420 / E1422
E Number:E1420 (acetylated starch) · E1422 (acetylated distarch adipate)

Native starch is acetylated using acetic anhydride — produces a starch with improved freeze-thaw stability, lower gelatinisation temperature and better clarity. Cross-linked acetylated starch combines acetylation with cross-linking for maximum stability.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationDegree of substitution (DS) 0.01–0.09% · Acetyl content as per E1420 limits
Applications

Frozen foods · Retort pouches · Sauces · Gravies · Infant formula · Confectionery · Dairy desserts

Markets: Gulf (food manufacturers) · Bangladesh · Southeast Asia

4.5 Cross-Linked Starch

Distarch Phosphate E1412
E Number:E1412 (distarch phosphate) · E1414 (acetylated distarch phosphate)

Starch granules are chemically cross-linked using phosphorus oxychloride or sodium trimetaphosphate — creates a starch that resists breakdown under heat, acid, shear and prolonged cooking. Most stable modified starch grade.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationPhosphorus content below 0.1% · Viscosity stability under pH 3–4 and 120°C
Applications

Retorted and canned foods · Baby food · Acidic products (salad dressings · ketchup) · High-temperature processed sauces

Markets: Gulf food manufacturers · Bangladesh · East Africa

4.6 Thin Boiled Starch

Acid Thinned Starch
E Number:-

Starch is treated with hydrochloric or sulphuric acid under controlled conditions — produces a low-viscosity starch with high concentration capability and good film-forming properties.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationFluidity number as specified · Moisture below 12%
Applications

Textile warp sizing (higher concentration at lower viscosity) · Confectionery (gummy candy · jelly formation) · Paper surface sizing

Markets: Bangladesh (textile industry) · Gulf · Southeast Asia

4.7 Dextrin

Yellow and White
E Number:-

Starch is dry-roasted with or without acid — produces water-soluble, low-molecular-weight carbohydrate polymers with strong adhesive properties.

SourcesCorn · Tapioca
Key SpecificationSolubility · Colour (white or yellow) · Viscosity as per grade
Applications

Adhesives (envelope flaps · bottle labels · stamps) · Food (binding agent · encapsulant) · Textile printing (thickener) · Foundry binders

Markets: Gulf · Bangladesh · Southeast Asia

4.8 Modified Cassava / Tapioca Starch

India exports modified cassava starch — predominantly as pregelatinised and acetylated grades — to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Middle East. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are the primary production states.

Competitive Advantage: Shorter transit and established trade relationships drive nearby market dominance.

Specialty Grades Imported to India

While India is a net exporter of basic modified starches, certain high-value and specialty grades are imported — predominantly from Thailand, Indonesia, China and Europe.

GradePrimary SourceKey Application
Hydroxypropyl Starch (E1440 / E1442)Thailand · IndonesiaPremium frozen food · Dairy desserts · Infant formula
Resistant Starch (RS2 · RS3 · RS4)USA · EuropeFunctional foods · Weight management · Diabetic formulations
OSA Starch (E1450)Global (Cargill · Ingredion)Beverage clouding · Flavour encapsulation
Sodium Starch GlycolateEurope · ChinaPharmaceutical tablet disintegrant
Cationic Starch (high DS)EuropePremium paper grades
Import market growing at 8%+ annually.

Applications by Industry

Food and Beverages (53%)

Thickener, stabiliser and texture modifier in soups, noodles, frozen meals, retort pouches, and dairy. Essential for heat, acid and freeze-thaw stability.

Paper and Packaging

Surface sizing and wet-end additive — improves paper strength, printability and surface smoothness. Cationic starch bonds to fibres; oxidised starch improves coating.

Textiles

Warp sizing agent — reduces yarn breakage during weaving. Thin boiled and oxidised starch are preferred for their lower viscosity at higher concentrations.

Pharmaceuticals

Tablet binder, disintegrant, and controlled-release matrix coating. Pregelatinised starch is a common direct compression binder.

Adhesives

Dextrin-based adhesives for envelope sealing, bottle labels, corrugated board lamination and paper tube winding.

Mining & Oil Drilling

Pregelatinised starch prevents water loss in drilling muds and acts as a binder in water gel explosive formulations.

Animal Feed

Pregelatinised starch used as a pellet binder — improves pellet durability and conversion efficiency in poultry, cattle and aquaculture feed.

Why Source From Agroroots?

Direct sourcing from established wet-milling plants (UP, Maharashtra, TN, AP)
Comprehensive grade range (Pregelatinised, Oxidised, Cationic, etc.)
Both Corn-based and Cassava-based grades available
COA per lot covering viscosity, moisture, solubility, and DS
Food-grade E-number compliance documentation
MOQ 1 MT for trial orders — no large commitment required
Competitive FOB pricing from major Indian ports (Mundra / JNPT)

Foreign Buyers Welcome

We export to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Vietnam and other markets. To enquire, please provide the following:

Company name and country
Modified starch type required
Source preference (Corn / Tapioca)
Key specification (Viscosity / Solubility / DS)
Monthly quantity (MT)
Port of discharge
Contact Sales

Harmonized System (HS) Codes

ProductHS Code
Dextrins and other modified starches (general)3505.10.90
Pregelatinised starch3505.10.10
Oxidised / Cationic / Acetylated / Cross-linked3505.10.90
Starch adhesive preparations (dextrin adhesive)3505.20
Native starch (corn / tapioca / wheat / potato)1108.XX

Frequently Asked Questions

Native starch is extracted directly from the source crop. Modified starch has been chemically, physically or enzymatically treated to improve stability, viscosity, clarity or binding properties — 'modified' refers to the process, not genetic modification.
We export pregelatinised starch, oxidised starch, cationic starch, thin boiled starch, dextrin, acetylated starch and cross-linked starch — both corn-based and cassava/tapioca-based grades from Indian manufacturers.
Pregelatinised starch dissolves and thickens in cold water without heating — making it essential for instant foods, dry mixes, oil drilling fluids, mining explosives and animal feed pellets. It is the most cost-effective modified starch to produce, giving Indian exporters a competitive price advantage.
Cationic starch (positively charged) is used as a wet-end additive — bonds to cellulose fibres and improves paper strength and retention. Oxidised starch (lower viscosity, good film-forming) is used for surface sizing to improve printability and surface smoothness.
India imports specialty high-value grades — hydroxypropyl starch (E1440), OSA starch (E1450), resistant starch and pharmaceutical sodium starch glycolate — primarily from Thailand, Indonesia, USA and Europe where production technology for these grades is more advanced.
Oxidised starch: E1404 · Distarch phosphate: E1412 · Acetylated starch: E1420 · Acetylated distarch adipate: E1422 · Hydroxypropyl starch: E1440 · OSA starch: E1450. All food-grade modified starches we export comply with applicable E-number specifications.
MOQ is 1 MT for trial orders and container loads of 20–24 MT for regular supply. Samples can be arranged within 5 days for pickup by buyer through their courier.
We are actively looking for Indian wet-milling plants producing pregelatinised, oxidised, cationic, thin boiled, dextrin or acetylated starch grades for export. If you have consistent monthly production of 25 MT or above, we handle all export documentation and international buyer communication. Contact us with your details.
Yes — we are open to collaboration with overseas modified starch producers. We work with suppliers on DA 60 days payment terms. Share your company profile, specifications, FOB price and payment terms.
30% advance against proforma invoice and 70% against scan copy of Bill of Lading — or Letter of Credit from any scheduled bank. Revised terms considered for buyers with 3 or more completed orders.

Source Premium Indian Modified Starch

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