Flours & Starches

Flour and starch ingredients form the structural foundation of baked goods and many processed foods. These ingredients range from whole grain flours that retain the bran, germ, and endosperm to highly refined white flours and isolated starches. Common forms include wheat flour, all-purpose flour, enriched flour, bleached flour, corn starch, rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch. The degree of refinement significantly affects both the nutritional profile and functional properties of the flour.

Flour and starch ingredients are found in bread, pasta, baked goods, crackers, cookies, cakes, pizza dough, tortillas, breading and coating mixes, sauces, gravies, soups, baby food, and the vast majority of grain-based processed foods.

Level (high → low)Level (low → high)Name (A–Z)Name (Z–A)

AllL1L2L3L4

Shoprite, Scrunchy, Toasted Oats Sweetened Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon

8.15.5/10

Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal

8.10.0/10

Chocolate Hazelnut

8.10.0/10

Glutino, Gluten Free Crackers, Cheddar

8.13.5/10

Ketzal for iPhone

Is One Of These In Your Pantry?

Scan it with Ketzal to see your exact product's scores and a less processed swap. Free, no account needed.

Scan It Free

Family Recipe Italian Dressing

8.12.0/10

Margarita & Lime White Corn Tortilla Chips

8.10.0/10

Granola Bark

8.13.5/10

Organic Ice Cream Bars

8.10.5/10

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Cup

8.10.0/10

Crackers, Real Cheddar Cheese

8.13.5/10

Crackers, Cheddar Cheese

8.12.0/10

Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon

8.15.5/10

Jalapeno Pretzel Pieces Flavoured Sourdough Hard Pretzel, Jalapeno

8.10.0/10

Ripe Strawberry Premium Ice Cream Wrapped in Sweet, Pillowy Dough Mochi Ice Cream, Ripe Strawberry

8.12.0/10

Chocolatey, Sweetened Rice Cereal, Chocolatey, Sweetened

8.11.5/10

Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

5.30.0/10

Stonehedge Farms, Old Fashioned Caramel Popcorn

5.30.0/10

Original Recipe Tapioca Pudding

5.34.5/10

Duncan Hines, Pie Filling & Topping, Apple

5.32.5/10

Cream Soup Powder

5.30.5/10

B&m, Baked Beans, Maple

5.38.0/10

Hammond's, Popcorn, Chocolate

5.32.0/10

Amazing Taste, Steak House Seasoning

5.30.0/10

Smoothie Drinks

5.36.0/10

Caramel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts

5.35.0/10

Planters, Dry Roasted Peanuts, Honey

5.36.0/10

Dutch Licorice Coins

5.30.0/10

Steak House Seasoning

5.30.0/10

Garlic & Onion Blend Malibu All-Purpose Seasoning

5.30.0/10

Cheese Alternative, Mozzarella Style

5.30.0/10

Classic Pasta, Spaghetti

2.89.5/10

Whole Foods Market, Linguine Pasta

2.89.0/10

Enriched Macaroni Product, Classic Pasta Fettuccine

2.89.5/10

Straight Cut Rice Noodles

2.88.0/10

100% Durum Semolina, Enriched Spaghetti Product

2.89.5/10

Classic Pasta Enriched Macaroni Product, Penne Rigate

2.89.5/10

Classic Pasta Enriched Macaroni Product, Acini De Pepe

2.89.5/10

Thin Rice Noodles, Spaghetti

2.88.0/10

Gemelli Hemp Artisanal Pasta

2.810.0/10

Penne Rigate

Best Choice

2.89.5/10

Pasta, Conchiglie

New Seasons

2.89.5/10

Pasta, Fusilli

New Seasons

2.89.5/10

Carbe Diem! Elbows Pasta

Carbe Diem!

2.80.0/10

Carbe Diem! Spaghetti Pasta

Carbe Diem!

2.80.0/10

Carbe Diem! Fettuccine Pasta

Carbe Diem!

2.80.0/10

Great Value, Whole Wheat Spaghetti

1.010.0/10

Premium Medium Grain Rice

1.07.0/10

Arrowhead Mills, Organic Amaranth

1.09.0/10

Racconto, Whole Wheat Spaghetti

1.010.0/10

Organic White Long Grain Rice

1.07.0/10

100% Durum Semolina Chiocciole

1.09.5/10

Super Lucky Elephant, Long Grain Fragrant Jasmine Rice

1.00.0/10

Village Harvest, Premium Whole Grain Quinoa

1.00.0/10

Organic Premium Quinoa

1.010.0/10

Organic Tapioca Starch (Flour)

1.00.0/10

Coconut Flour Organic Superfood

1.00.0/10

Sushi Chef, Premium Sushi Rice

1.00.0/10

365 Everyday Value, Organic Linguine

1.09.5/10

Kolson's, Cut Vermicelli

1.08.5/10

Peeled Green Wheat

1.00.0/10

Browse all 140,424 products →

Flours & Starches can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:

Flour provides structure, texture, and body to food products. In baked goods, wheat flour proteins (glutenin and gliadin) form gluten when hydrated and worked, creating the elastic network that gives bread its characteristic structure. Starches gelatinize when heated with water, providing thickening in sauces and fillings. Different flour types offer distinct functional properties: bread flour has higher protein for strong gluten development, cake flour has lower protein for tender crumb, and corn starch provides clear thickening without the cloudiness of wheat-based thickeners.

Flour is produced by milling cereal grains or other starchy plant materials. Whole grain flour retains all parts of the grain kernel — bran, germ, and endosperm. Refined white flour is produced by removing the bran and germ through roller milling and sifting, leaving primarily the starchy endosperm. Bleached flour is treated with chemical bleaching agents (benzoyl peroxide, chlorine dioxide) to whiten the flour and modify its baking properties. Enriched flour has iron and B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) added back after refining, as required by FDA standards of identity.

Refined flours have the bran and germ removed during milling, which removes dietary fiber and certain nutrients. Enriched flour has specific nutrients (iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) added per FDA standards of identity. Wheat flour contains gluten, which must be declared as a major allergen per FALCPA. Individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity must avoid wheat-based flours.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

The FDA maintains standards of identity for various flour types including enriched flour, which must contain specified levels of iron and B vitamins. Bleaching agents used in flour production are regulated as food additives. Wheat must be declared as a major allergen under FALCPA. Whole grain claims are regulated, and the Whole Grains Council provides voluntary certification stamps. The EU regulates permitted flour treatment agents and fortification requirements by member state.