The best cornstarch (maicena) in Peru
Prices in this article were pulled directly from the product JSON embedded in Plaza Vea’s pages on July 20, 2026 (not from automatic summaries) and change constantly due to promotions and stock — before deciding on a brand, check the current price at the source link. All sources are listed at the end.
“Maicena” is actually a brand — Unilever’s — that in Peru (like in much of Latin America) became the generic name people use to ask for cornstarch, regardless of which brand they actually end up buying. This page compares the real options on the Peruvian market.
What exactly is cornstarch?
Cornstarch (maicena) is extracted only from the endosperm of the corn kernel through a wet-milling process: the kernel is soaked, separated into its components (germ, fiber, protein, and starch), and the starch is dried into a fine white powder. That’s why a good cornstarch is essentially pure starch: in the real nutrition label below you’ll see 0 g protein, 0 g fat, and 0 g fiber per 100 g — unlike corn flour, which is made by grinding the whole kernel and does retain protein and fiber1.
That difference in composition is also why cornstarch and flour aren’t interchangeable in a recipe: cornstarch has no gluten and adds no structure, it only thickens2.
What is it used for?
- Thickener: its main use — in sauces, creams, soups, custards, and flans. The starch gelatinizes when heated with liquid: its molecular chains unwind and trap water, thickening the mixture2.
- Specific baking uses: it’s the key ingredient in alfajores de maicena — it replaces part of the flour to get a cookie that melts in your mouth, because without gluten it never develops elasticity.
- Gluten-free: being pure starch (not wheat flour), it works for gluten-free recipes, though it’s worth checking the package for possible cross-contamination at the factory.
Regulatory framework in Peru
Unmodified corn starch for food use is regulated under Peruvian Technical Standard NTP 209.064:1974 (revised 2013), managed by INACAL (National Institute of Quality)3. This standard is what defines what can be sold as “almidón de maíz” or “maicena” in the country.
The 3 brands compared
| Brand | Market position | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Duryea (Maizena, Unilever) | The brand that names the whole category | This is the original “Maizena” — the one everyone asks for even when they buy something else. Has a complete public nutrition label — see below. |
| Universal (Plaza Vea private label) | Supermarket private label | Plaza Vea’s own store-brand product. In the 500 g size, it costs exactly the same per kilo as Duryea. |
| Umsha (Alicorp) | Everyday food brand | Used to be called “Negrita”; Alicorp renamed it in 2021 after criticism of that name and its imagery4. Makes cornstarch alongside other home-baking products. |
If you see “Negrita” in an old recipe or an old package, it’s the same brand — Alicorp renamed it Umsha in 2021.
Nutrition facts (verified data)
Of the three brands, Duryea (Maizena) is the one with a complete public nutrition label on Open Food Facts as of this writing:
| Per 100 g | Duryea cornstarch (Unilever)5 |
|---|---|
| Energy | 350 kcal |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 85 g |
| Sugars | ~0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 1.52 g |
Ingredients per the packaging: “Fécula de maíz (contiene sulfito)” (corn starch, contains sulfite)5. Sulfite is a processing additive and also a declared allergen — worth knowing if you’re sulfite-sensitive.
For Universal and Umsha there’s no complete, verifiable nutrition label in open databases as of this writing. Since both are corn starch regulated under the same NTP 209.064, it’s reasonable to expect a composition very similar to Duryea’s — but the most reliable source remains the label on your own package.
Price per kilo (verified)
| Brand | Size | Online price | Price per kilo (calculated) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duryea | 100 g box | S/ 2.90 | ≈ S/ 29.00/kg | Plaza Vea |
| Universal | 180 g bag | S/ 3.90 | ≈ S/ 21.67/kg | Plaza Vea |
| Duryea | 500 g box | S/ 10.50 | ≈ S/ 21.00/kg | Plaza Vea |
| Universal | 500 g box | S/ 10.50 | ≈ S/ 21.00/kg | Plaza Vea |
| Umsha | 180 g bag | S/ 2.90 | ≈ S/ 16.11/kg | Plaza Vea |
Duryea’s 500 g box and Universal’s 500 g box cost exactly the same per kilo (S/ 21.00/kg) — the real difference is package size, not brand. Umsha in the 180 g bag came out as the cheapest per kilo of the five sizes checked.
How to test thickening power at home
- Make an identical base mix with each brand: the same amount of cornstarch dissolved in the same amount of cold water (never add it straight to a hot liquid, it’ll clump).
- Heat over medium, stirring constantly, and time how long each one takes to visibly thicken.
- Compare the final texture: a good cornstarch gives a glossy, translucent mix with no raw taste. If it comes out cloudy or tastes raw, it needed more cooking — that’s not a brand issue.
- Let it cool: some starch-thickened mixes get a bit watery once cool (syneresis) — note whether one brand does this more than another.
Verdict
- 🏆 Best known: Duryea (Maizena) — the only one with a complete public nutrition label, and the brand that defines the category in Peru.
- 💰 Best verified price per kilo: Umsha (≈ S/ 16.11/kg in the 180 g bag), even beating the larger sizes of Duryea and Universal.
- 🤔 At the same size, there’s no price difference: in the 500 g size, Duryea and Universal cost the same per kilo — there the choice comes down to brand preference, not budget.
Sources
-
¿Qué es maicena, almidón de maíz y harina de maíz? — Postres sin gluten ↩︎
-
El Comercio — “Harina vs. maicena: ¿cuál es la diferencia y en qué recetas usar cada una?” ↩︎ ↩︎
-
INACAL — Normas Técnicas Peruanas, NTP 209.064:1974 (rev. 2013), “Almidón de maíz no modificado.” ↩︎