Cornflour is the British term for corn starch, the refined starch extracted from the endosperm of maize kernels. It is used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and custards, forming clear, glossy gels when cooked, and as a crisp coating starch in frying batters where it promotes browning and crunch. Because the name is easily confused with American corn flour, which is a whole-grain maize meal with very different functionality, accurate labelling and specification matter greatly in international trade, recipe formulation, and allergen-style clarity for gluten-free positioning.