E1450 Octenyl Succinic Acid Modified Starch – A Multifunctional Additive for Multiple Industries

In the formulation systems of various industries such as food, daily chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, modified starch is gradually replacing traditional chemical additives as the mainstream choice due to its strong adaptability, high safety, and diverse functions. Among them, E1450 (sodium octenyl succinic acid starch, prepared by modification with octenyl succinic anhydride N-OSA) is a typical amphiphilic modified starch, possessing multiple functions such as emulsification, stabilization, thickening, and film formation. It is widely used in the production and processing of various products, becoming an important bridge connecting natural starch and industrial applications.

I. Basic Understanding: The Relationship between E1450 and N-OSA and the Modification Principle

E1450 is a food additive explicitly included in the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and national food safety standards. Its core modifying raw material is octenyl succinic anhydride (N-OSA), and the finished product is officially called sodium octenyl succinic acid starch, a derivative of natural starch after chemical modification. Natural starch is mostly a hydrophilic polysaccharide composed of amylose and amylopectin. Its molecular structure contains a large number of hydroxyl groups. While it possesses a certain thickening ability, it lacks emulsifying, temperature-resistant, and anti-aging properties, making it difficult to meet the needs of complex industrial production. The modification effect of N-OSA precisely compensates for this shortcoming.

E1450 was prepared using natural starch (corn, cassava, waxy corn, etc., are common raw materials) as the substrate. Under mild alkaline conditions (pH 7.0-8.0) and at 30-40℃, it underwent an esterification reaction with N-OSA. Subsequently, sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate was used to neutralize and adjust the pH value, ultimately yielding the target product [6]. During the reaction, the anhydride structure of N-OSA undergoes ring opening, forming a carboxyl group at one end and binding to the hydroxyl groups of the starch molecule at the other end via an ester bond, thereby introducing a hydrophobic octenyl side chain onto the hydrophilic starch molecule chain [4][6]. This modification method does not destroy the main structure of starch, and the reaction conditions are mild, with no large amount of harmful byproducts generated, meeting the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) [3][5]. In addition, starch can be pretreated with acid, alkali, enzymatic hydrolysis or bleaching to further optimize the modification effect.

N-OSA, as a modifier, is a light yellow transparent oil with a melting point of about 5℃ and a boiling point of 320℃. It has good chemical activity, and the carbon-carbon double bonds and carboxylic acid groups in its molecule can participate in a variety of reactions. In addition to being used for starch modification, it can also be used as an intermediate for the modification of polymer materials. The CAS numbers of E1450 mainly include 66829-29-6 and 52906-93-1, among which 125109-81-1 is the CAS number corresponding to the amylopectin modification product. It is mostly white, off-white or light yellow amorphous powder with no visible impurities, has the inherent odor of starch, and has no off-odor.