Sir, - I write on behalf of all coeliacs, and also on behalf of the catering industry, to ask manufacturers of foodstuff to identify, where used, the source of the ingredient modified starch, stating specifically whether it is potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, etc.
The modified starch ingredient is present in a vast number of manufactured foods, and the simple use of its generic term for listing purposes immediately rules that product out for coeliacs. - Yours, etc.,
Tom Mythen, Vice President, The Restaurants Association of Ireland, Network Catering, Heuston Station, Dublin 8.