CORNFLOUR
Cornflour is a natural, renewable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly ingredient that absorbs moisture and oil, making it useful for reducing shine on the skin and hair.
Cornflour acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics while also improving the texture and feel of skincare products.
Cornflour can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, soothe irritated skin, and serve as a gentle exfoliant in facial scrubs.
CAS Number: 9005-25-8
EC Number: 232-679-6
Chemical Formula: (C6H10O5)n
Molecular Weight: 162.14 g/mol
Synonyms: Zea mays starch, STARCH, ZEA MAYS, OPICAL STARCH, ZEA MAYS (CORN) STARCH, 5-[5-[3,4-DIHYDROXY-6-(HYDROXYMETHYL)-5-METHOXYOXAN-2-YL]OXY-6-[[3,4-DIHYDROXY-6-(HYDROXYMETHYL)-5-METHOXYOXAN-2-YL]OXYMETHYL]-3,4-DIHYDROXYOXAN-2-YL]OXY-6 (HYDROXYMETHYL)-2-METHYLOXANE-3,4-DIOL, CORN STARCH
Cornflour is a natural starch derived from corn (maize).
Cornflour is widely used in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
In food production, Cornflour serves as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and anti-caking agent in sauces, soups, and baked goods.
In the pharmaceutical industry, Cornflour is commonly used as a binder and disintegrant in tablets.
In cosmetics, Cornflour is included in skincare and makeup products for its absorbent and mattifying properties.
Cornflour is valued for being plant-based, biodegradable, and generally well-tolerated by the skin.
Cornflour is a substance with a high polymeric carbohydrate content that is typically made from the peeled seeds of the corn plant.
Cornflour and other ingredients of the corn plant like corn oil and corn powder are widely used in the cosmetics and personal care industry due to their numerous functions such as abrasives, surfactants, skin and hair conditioning.
Cornflour is one of the corn origin, obtained from corn grains.
Cornflour is white and odorless.
The water content should not exceed 13% and the acid number should be 25.
Cornflour is used in hygienic powders, blushes and dry shampoos.
Cornflour has a softening and protective effect on the skin.
Cornflour is added to the first and higher grade powder up to 8% by weight.
Cornflour makes the skin resistant and has good absorption properties.
Cornflour is possible to use the advantages due to the possibility of contamination.
Cornflour is the starch derived from corn (maize) grain.
Cornflour is obtained from the endosperm of the kernel.
Cornflour is a common food ingredient, often used to thicken sauces or soups, and to make corn syrup and other sugars.
Cornflour is versatile, easily modified, and finds many uses in industry such as adhesives, in paper products, as an anti-sticking agent, and textile manufacturing.
Cornflour has medical uses as well, such as to supply glucose for people with glycogen storage disease.
Like many products in dust form, Cornflour can be hazardous in large quantities due to its flammability—see dust explosion.
When mixed with a fluid, Cornflour can rearrange itself into a non-Newtonian fluid.
For example, adding water transforms Cornflour into a material commonly known as oobleck while adding oil transforms Cornflour into an electrorheological (ER) fluid.
The concept can be explained through the mixture termed "cornflour slime".
Cornflour is a white/yellowish soft powder obtained by grinding dry seed cobs.
Cornflour, is a white to yellowish, fine powder with a characteristic odor.
Cornflour is suitable for use in many personal care applications.
Cornflour acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer.
Cornflour is derived from the corn plant.
Cornflour is a natural, renewable, biodegradable and environment friendly ingredient.
Cornflour can reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles and helps to soothe and calm irritated or inflamed skin.
Cornflour is non-toxic and non-irritating to the skin.
Cornflour improves the texture & feel of skin care products and bind ingredients together.
Cornflour absorbs moisture and oil making it useful for reducing shine on the skin and hair.
Cornflour is suitable for sensitive skin types.
Cornflour can also be used as a gentle exfoliant in facial scrubs.
Cornflour organic-certified natural polymer enhances sensory attributes and offers truly functional performance from certified organic technology.
Cornflour is a natural fine powder that may directly replace talc (an inorganic compound mainly containing magnesium silicate) in skincare formulations.
Cornflour effectively absorbs moisture and oil from the skin surface mattifying and providing a silky-soft feel.
Cornflour improves the texture of the final product, for powders it provides flowability and spread-ability, for creams, it's a non-irritating active carrier that stabilizes emulsions and raises creaminess and self-life.
Cornflour is rich in oligosaccharides like Amylopectins that have probiotic and moisture-binding properties.
Like rice starch corn also contains Phytic acid that similar to hydroxy acids eliminates dead cells from the epidermis revealing refreshed and renewed skin.
Amylopectins and Phytic acid are good antioxidants protecting dermal cell membranes from the oxidative damage of free radicals.
Pure Cornflour provides a white, smooth, grit-free texture.
Cornflour is used primarily in baby powders but can also be utilized as a sensory modifier, viscosity agent, tack-reducing agent, binder, and excipient in a myriad of other personal care applications.
Cornflour is quite literally the starch derived from varietals of corn.
As a skin care ingredient, it’s most famously used as an absorbent that lends mattifying properties (helpful for controlling oily skin) and is also popular in makeup powders where it lends a dry yet silky feel and can be lighter on skin than some grades of talc.
Cornflour can also be incorporated to increase the viscosity of cosmetic solutions (similar to how corn starch is used in cooking to thicken food).
In additional capacities, Cornflour is blended with other ingredients to create film-forming properties on skin.
Cornflour may also be used as an abrasive agent, such as you might find in manual exfoliating products.
When formulated in this way, there’s potential for skin sensitization due to the abrasiveness and uneven shape of particles.
Interestingly, topical starches, such as Cornflour, are classified as skin protectants under the U.S. FDA monograph when formulated as an OTC (over the counter) active.
This means they serve to protect skin from harmful stimuli and provide relief to compromised skin.
These varying roles demonstrate that how an ingredient is incorporated into a formula plays a major factor in overall efficacy, aesthetics, functions, gentleness, and benefits.
In their 2013 report, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel surveyed 278 personal care products containing Cornflour ranging between 0.00002-99% concentration.
Based on their analysis, Cornflour is safe in these cosmetic practices of use.
Market Overview of Cornflour:
The Cornflour market is experiencing steady growth, driven by increasing demand across the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial sectors.
As a plant-based, biodegradable ingredient, Cornflour is gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to synthetic additives.
The food industry remains the largest consumer, utilizing Cornflour as a thickener, stabilizer, and texturizer.
Meanwhile, the rising trend of clean-label and natural products is boosting Cornflour's use in cosmetics and personal care.
The pharmaceutical sector also contributes to market expansion due to Cornflour's role in tablet formulations.
Growing awareness of eco-friendly packaging and biodegradable materials further supports market demand.
North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific are the key markets, with Asia-Pacific witnessing rapid growth due to increasing food processing and industrial applications.
Innovations in starch modification and the expansion of organic and non-GMO product lines are expected to shape the market's future.
Uses of Cornflour:
Cornflour has many uses like abrasive action, absorbent property, surfactant and cleansing, skin, and hair-conditioning, and viscosity controlling properties.
For a smooth application, Cornflour is used in emulsions (lotions, hair masks).
Cornflour can be used in mineral makeup, powder foundations, and eyeshadows.
Cornflour has some mattifying properties that help with greasiness and are good for oily skin.
In place of talc, a clay mineral that serves as a mattifying and absorbent agent, Cornflour is used.
Cornflour is used as a thickening agent and absorbs oils more effectively.
Cornflour also provides products with efficient spreadability, thereby preventing caking.
Significant compatibility with other ingredients enables a broader use in cosmetics.
Cornflour is used in emulsions (lotions, hair masks) for smooth application.
Cornflour can be used in mineral makeup; powder foundations are beneficial to oily skin as they have some mattifying benefits to help with oiliness, and it is used in eyeshadows.
Talc is a clay mineral found in cosmetics such as loose powders that acts as an absorbing/matting agent.
Cornflour is an alternative to talc.
Cornflour absorbs oils better, allows for efficient spreadability of products without causing clumping, and is used as a thickening agent.
Compatibility with other ingredients is important allowing for wider use in cosmetics.
Typical concentrations of Cornflour are 1-99%, 1-3% for Lotions.
Cornflour can also be used as an exfoliator to remove dead skin from the surface to reveal a clean smooth complexion.
Cornflour is used in emulsions (lotions, hair masks) for a smooth application.
Cornflour can be used in mineral makeup; powder foundations, as it has some mattifying benefits to help with greasiness, beneficial to oily skin and used in eyeshadows.
Cornflour absorbs oils better, gives efficient spreadability of products resulting in a non-caking and used as a thickening agent.
The compatibility with other ingredients is significant, allowing for wider use in cosmetics.
Typical concentration of Cornflour is 1-99%, For lotions 1-3%.
Cornflour can also be used as an exfoliator to remove dead skin from the surface, to reveal clean smooth skin.
Although mostly used for cooking and as a household item, Cornflour is used for many purposes in several industries, ranging from its use as a chemical additive for certain products, to medical therapy for certain illnesses.
Culinary:
Cornflour is used as a thickening agent in liquid-based foods (e.g., soup, sauces, gravies, custard), usually by mixing it with a lower-temperature liquid to form a paste or slurry.
Cornflour is sometimes preferred over flour alone because it forms a translucent, rather than opaque mixture.
As the starch is heated over 203 °F (95 °C), the molecular chains unravel, allowing them to collide with other starch chains to form a mesh, thickening the liquid (Starch gelatinization).
However, continued boiling breaks up the molecules and thins the liquid.
Cornstarch is usually included as an anticaking agent in powdered sugar (icing or confectioner's sugar).
A common substitute is arrowroot starch, which replaces the same amount of Cornflour.
Food producers reduce production costs by adding varying amounts of Cornflour to foods, for example to cheese and yogurt.
Chicken nuggets with a thin outer layer of Cornflour allows increased oil absorption and crispness after the latter stages of frying.
Non-culinary:
Baby powder may include Cornflour among its ingredients.
Cornflour can be used to manufacture bioplastics (like PLA used for 3D printing) and may be used in the manufacture of airbags.
Adhesive can be made from Cornflour, traditionally one of the adhesives that may be used to make paste papers.
Cornflour dries with a slight sheen compared to wheat starch.
Cornflour may also be used as an adhesive in book and paper conservation.
Medical:
Cornflour is the preferred anti-stick agent on medical products made from natural latex, including condoms, diaphragms, and medical gloves.
Cornflour has properties enabling supply of glucose to maintain blood sugar levels for people with glycogen storage disease.
Cornflour can be used starting at age 6–12 months allowing glucose fluctuations to be deterred.
Food Industry:
Cornflour is used as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, gravies, and puddings.
Cornflour acts as a stabilizer in processed foods and baked goods.
Cornflour serves as an anti-caking agent in powdered food products.
Cornflour is used as a filler in snacks and confectionery items.
Pharmaceutical Industry:
Functions as a binder and disintegrant in tablet formulations.
Cornflour is used as a filler in capsules and powders.
Cornflour helps improve the texture and stability of medicinal suspensions.
Cosmetic and Personal Care Products:
Cornflour is commonly used in powders, foundations, and dry shampoos for oil absorption.
Cornflour acts as a natural alternative to talc in baby powders.
Cornflour provides a smooth, matte finish in skincare and makeup products.
Industrial Applications:
Cornflour is used in papermaking to improve paper strength and texture.
Cornflour serves as an adhesive and thickener in textile and glue production.
Cornflour acts as a biodegradable alternative to synthetic polymers in packaging materials.
Medical and Healthcare:
Cornflour is used as a dusting powder for surgical gloves and medical devices.
Incorporated in wound care products for moisture absorption.
Benefits of Cornflour:
Effective oil and moisture absorber
Uniform particle size distribution
Low micro count
Non-irritating on skin in RIPT testing
Manufacture of Cornflour:
The corn is steeped for 30 to 48 hours, which ferments it slightly.
The germ is separated from the endosperm and those two components are ground separately (still soaked).
Next Cornflour is removed from each by washing.
Cornflour is separated from the corn steep liquor, the cereal germ, the fibers and the corn gluten mostly in hydrocyclones and centrifuges, and then dried. (The residue from every stage is used in animal feed and to make corn oil or other applications.)
This process is called wet milling.
Finally, Cornflour may be modified for specific purposes.
History of Cornflour:
Until 1851, Cornflour was used primarily for starching laundry and for other industrial uses.
A method to produce pure culinary starch from maize was patented by John Polson of Brown & Polson, in Paisley, Scotland in 1854.
This was sold as "Patented Corn Flour".
Brown & Polson were muslin manufacturers who had been producing laundry starch for the Paisley shawl industry and would become the largest starch producers in the UK.
Origin of Cornflour:
Warm water with dissolved sulphur dioxide is used to soften cleaned corn kernels in order to produce Cornflour.
Starch and protein are separated with the help of sulphurous acid, which is created when sulphur dioxide and water react.
In order to remove the hull and separate the germ from Cornflour-rich endosperm, softened corn kernels are then run through mild attrition mills.
The attrition mills produce a thick slurry of macerated kernels and whole germ after the addition of water.
The method for isolating the germ is density centrifugation.
The remaining hull and endosperm mixture is crushed and screened.
Finer protein and starch particles pass through while larger hull particles are retained on screens and removed.
By using centrifugation, the water slurry of starch and gluten protein is separated.
The process of treating the slurry of washed Cornflour with diluted mineral acid at an elevated temperature but below the gelatinization temperature for varying amounts of time results in hydrolyzed Cornflour.
Cornflour is filtered, washed, and dried after the acid has been neutralized with sodium carbonate and when it has reached the desired viscosity.
Names and varieties of Cornflour:
Called corn starch in the United States and Canada.
The term corn flour refers to cornmeal that is very finely milled; or, after wet processing with alkali, further grinding then drying, masa flour.
Cornflour in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel and some Commonwealth countries.
Distinct in these countries from cornmeal.
Cornflour is commonly derived from wheat in Australia.
Cornflour is extracted from the wheat kernel, and is sometimes referred to as 'wheaten cornflour'.
Handling and Storage of Cornflour:
Handling:
Avoid creating dust, as excessive dust can pose an inhalation hazard or explosion risk.
Use with adequate ventilation to prevent dust accumulation.
Handle with clean, dry equipment to prevent contamination.
Storage:
Store in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area.
Keep away from heat, sparks, open flames, and strong oxidizing agents.
Maintain packaging integrity to avoid moisture absorption, which can cause clumping.
Stability and Reactivity of Cornflour:
Stability:
Stable under normal conditions.
Reactivity:
Non-reactive with most substances but may react with strong oxidizers.
Incompatible Materials:
Strong oxidizing agents (e.g., peroxides, chlorine).
Hazardous Decomposition Products:
Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide may form during combustion.
Conditions to Avoid:
Excessive heat, open flames, and sources of ignition.
First Aid Measures of Cornflour:
Inhalation:
Move to fresh air.
Seek medical attention if breathing difficulty occurs.
Skin Contact:
Wash with soap and water.
No known skin irritation risks under normal conditions.
Eye Contact:
Rinse eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes.
Seek medical attention if irritation persists.
Ingestion:
Non-toxic, but if large amounts are ingested, drink water and seek medical advice if discomfort occurs.
Firefighting Measures of Cornflour:
Flammability:
Cornflour is a combustible dust.
Suitable Extinguishing Media:
Water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide (CO₂), or foam.
Firefighting Precautions:
Avoid high-pressure water streams, which can disperse dust and increase explosion risk.
Use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and full protective gear.
Explosion Hazard:
Fine dust can form explosive mixtures with air.
Prevent dust accumulation in confined spaces.
Accidental Release Measures of Cornflour:
Personal Precautions:
Avoid inhalation of dust.
Wear protective equipment (mask, gloves) if necessary.
Environmental Precautions:
Prevent release into drains or waterways.
Cleanup Methods:
Use a vacuum or damp cloth to collect spills to minimize dust.
Avoid sweeping dry powder to prevent airborne dust.
Exposure Controls / Personal Protection of Cornflour:
Exposure Limits:
No specific occupational exposure limits, but general dust regulations apply (e.g., OSHA PEL for nuisance dust: 15 mg/m³ total dust).
Engineering Controls:
Use local exhaust ventilation to control dust levels.
Avoid sources of ignition in dust-prone areas.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Respiratory Protection:
NIOSH-approved dust mask if airborne dust is present.
Eye Protection:
Safety goggles or glasses in case of high dust exposure.
Skin Protection:
Gloves recommended for prolonged exposure.
Clothing:
Standard work clothing; avoid loose clothing in high-dust areas.
Identifiers of Cornflour:
CAS Number: 9005-25-8
Chem/IUPAC Name: 5-[5-[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-[[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-3,4-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyloxane-3,4-diol
EINECS/ELINCS No: 232-679-6
COSING REF No: 38946
CAS Number(s): 9005-25-8
EINECS number(s): 232-679-6
FDA UNII: O8232NY3SJ
Scientific Name: Cornflour
Common Names: Corn Starch, Maize Starch
CAS Number: 9005-25-8
E-Number: E1404 (Native Starch), E1422 (Modified Starch - Acetylated Distarch Adipate), E1442 (Hydroxypropyl Distarch Phosphate), etc.
Chemical Formula: (C6H10O5)n
HS Code: 110812
Properties of Cornflour:
Food energy (per 100 g serving): 381 kcal (1,590 kJ)
Nutritional value(per 100 g serving):
Protein: 0.3 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrate: 91 g
Other information: density 0.54 g/ml
Appearance: White to off-white fine powder
Odor: Odorless
Taste: Neutral, slightly sweet
Solubility: Insoluble in cold water and alcohol; forms a gel-like paste in hot water
Texture: Smooth, silky, and lightweight
Chemical Formula: (C6H10O5)n
Specifications of Cornflour:
Appearance: White or off-white fine powder
Odor & Taste: Odorless and neutral
Solubility: Insoluble in cold water and alcohol; disperses in hot water to form a paste
Moisture Content: ≤ 14%
pH (10% solution): 4.0 – 7.0
Particle Size: Typically 90–99% passes through a 100-mesh sieve
Amylose Content: 20–30%
Amylopectin Content: 70–80%
Protein Content: ≤ 0.5%
Fat Content: ≤ 0.1%
Ash Content: ≤ 0.2%
Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) Residue: ≤ 50 ppm (if applicable)
Total Plate Count: ≤ 1,000 CFU/g
Yeast & Mold: ≤ 100 CFU/g
E. coli: Negative
Salmonella: Negative
Staphylococcus aureus: Negative
