My diet:

Corn flour

No E-numberFlour treatment agentsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Corn flour is ground corn.

Gluten-freeYes

Corn has no gluten. Mixes can add wheat.

HalalYes
KosherYes

Corn is kitniyot for some Passover customs.

KetoNo

Corn flour is a grain flour.

Low-FODMAPYes

Corn flour is low FODMAP.

The short answer
American corn flour is finely milled corn. American corn flour is vegan, and plain corn has no gluten. It is not keto. It is low FODMAP. It still tastes of corn, unlike corn starch, which is washed free of protein and flavor.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFlour treatment agents
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledCorn flour, Finely ground cornmeal

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Corn flour in the American sense is a food, not an E-number. It is gluten-free when it is only corn. A British recipe that says cornflour is asking for the starch, and using this flour will not give the same gravy.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The kernel is ground, sometimes from the whole grain and sometimes from the endosperm. Masa harina is a different product: corn treated with lime, then ground. A bag of masa is not this flour.

Where it comes from: In the United States, corn flour is finely ground corn, closer to a very fine cornmeal. In British English, cornflour means corn starch, the white powder used to thicken a gravy. This page is the ground-corn flour. The starch has its own page.

Why it’s in food

  • Makes a tender cornbread
  • Thickens a soup slightly
  • Breads fish
  • Fills a gluten-free blend

Often found in

CornbreadMuffinsPancakesBreadingArepas when the bag is the right cornGluten-free mixes

Also listed as: Corn flour, Finely ground cornmeal, Yellow corn flour, White corn flour

Health & gut impact

Two languages, two ingredientsUnder study

A UK cornflour is corn starch. A US corn flour is ground corn. Following the wrong one changes the recipe.

US versus UK names for corn starch and corn flour

Masa is the nixtamalized oneBenefit

Masa harina has been cooked with calcium hydroxide. It is the flour for tortillas. Plain corn flour will not make the same dough.

Nixtamalization and masa

What can I use instead?

Corn starch

Ratio: The washed starch a British cornflour means

Best for: Glazes and gravies

Rice flour

Ratio: Another fine gluten-free flour

Best for: Blends

Related

More flour treatment agents:

Almond flourAlmond flour is ground almonds. Almond flour is vegan, and the nut itself contains no gluten. It is one of the few baking flours that fits a keto pattern. Large servings are high FODMAP because almonds are.Generally safeAlpha-amylaseAlpha-amylase is the enzyme that clips starch so bread can rise and brown. Baked goods often list it only as enzymes. Fungal amylase is gluten-free. Amylase from barley malt is not.Generally safeAzodicarbonamide (ADA) E927aAzodicarbonamide (ADA, E927a) is a dough conditioner that's banned in the EU but still legal in US bread. Baking turns some of it into semicarbazide, a possible carcinogen, so it's one to avoid.Best to avoidBarleyBarley is a gluten grain with a low glycemic index when it is eaten as the whole or pearled berry. The barley berry fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. Sprouted barley is the start of malt, which is a different ingredient line.Generally safe

Common questions

Is corn flour gluten-free?

Yes, if the only grain is corn. A cornbread mix often adds wheat flour.

Is corn flour the same as cornstarch?

Not in American English. Cornstarch is the white thickener. Corn flour is ground corn and tastes like corn.

Is Corn flour safe?

Use in moderation (76/100). Corn flour in the American sense is a food, not an E-number. It is gluten-free when it is only corn. A British recipe that says cornflour is asking for the starch, and using this flour will not give the same gravy.

Is Corn flour vegan?

Yes. Corn flour is ground corn.

Is Corn flour gluten-free?

Yes. Corn has no gluten. Mixes can add wheat.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • US versus UK names for corn starch and corn flour
  • Nixtamalization and masa