Savoring Filipino Desserts Safely: A Corn Allergy Guide

Filipino desserts offer a world of sweetness, from creamy maja blanca to vibrant halo-halo. Yet for those with corn allergies, hidden ingredients like cornstarch, corn syrup, and maltodextrin can turn these treats into hazards. Understanding where corn derivatives lurk is key to enjoying these cultural gems without risk.

Common Corn Culprits in Filipino Sweets

• Maja blanca: Traditionally thickened with cornstarch
• Halo-halo: Frequently topped with corn kernels and corn-based ice cream
• Puto: Often contains cornstarch in modern recipes
• Bibingka: May use corn oil for greasing banana leaves
• Commercial desserts: Often include corn syrup sweeteners/preservatives

Traditional kakanin like sapin-sapin (rice-coconut cake) or cassava cake are naturally corn-free, but always verify preparation methods since cross-contamination happens.

How mm food App Protects You

1. Real-time Translation: Decode Tagalog menu terms for “gawang mais” (corn products) instantly
2. Allergy Scanner: Our AI cross-references dishes against your profile to detect:
   • Corn-derived ingredients (dextrin, maltodextrin)
   • Hidden additives in sauces/coatings
3. Safe Recommendations: Get flagged alternatives like:
   • Leche flan (pure egg-milk custard)
   • Ube halaya (yam jam)
   • Fresh buko pandan (when cream is coconut-based)
4. “Ask Kitchen” reminders with translated allergy phrases

Pro Tips for Safer Indulgence

• Specify “no cornstarch” when ordering fried desserts like turon
• Request fresh fruit toppings (mango, banana) instead of packaged jellies
• Use our “custom restriction” feature to block specific corn derivatives

With mm food, you reclaim the joy of Filipino desserts. Scan safely, celebrate deeply, and taste culture without compromise!