Maltodextrin
What Is Maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate ingredient made from starch that has been broken down into smaller carbohydrate molecules.
It can be produced from different starch sources, such as corn, potato, rice, or other starches. In food production, maltodextrin may be used for several different technical purposes depending on the product. FDA lists it as a direct food ingredient and identifies a range of functions it can serve.
Why Is It Used in Food?
Maltodextrin can serve several functions depending on the food.
It may be used to:
Help improve texture
Act as a thickener or stabilizer
Help keep powdered foods free-flowing
Carry or distribute flavors or other ingredients
Help retain moisture
Contribute carbohydrate or sweetness in some products
Support the overall formulation of a food
FDA’s ingredient inventory lists technical functions for maltodextrin including anticaking, humectant, stabilizer/thickener, texturizer, flavoring aid, nutrient supplement, nutritive sweetener, and solvent or vehicle.
Where Might You See It?
Maltodextrin may appear in a wide variety of packaged foods, including:
Powdered drink mixes
Seasoning blends
Snack foods
Sauces and dressings
Desserts
Instant or powdered foods
Some nutrition products
Other foods where texture, moisture, or ingredient distribution is important
Its role can vary significantly from one product to another.
What to Know
Maltodextrin is made from starch, but its name does not necessarily tell you which starch source was used.
Its presence in an ingredient list also does not tell you exactly what role it is serving in that particular product. It may be helping with texture, acting as a carrier for another ingredient, reducing clumping, contributing carbohydrate, or serving another formulation purpose.
Federal regulations identify maltodextrin as a food substance affirmed as generally recognized as safe under specified conditions of use.
Food Literacy Tip
When you see maltodextrin on an ingredient list, try asking:
“What function might this ingredient be serving in this particular product?”
The same ingredient can play different roles depending on how the food is made.
Explore More Ingredients
Found another ingredient on a food label that you want to understand?
Explore the NCF Ingredient Index to learn what ingredients are, why they may be used in foods, and how they fit into the bigger picture of food information.
Sources
U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Substances Added to Food: Maltodextrin — FDA’s ingredient inventory entry for maltodextrin. It lists technical functions including anticaking, flavoring aid, humectant, nutrient supplement, nutritive sweetener, stabilizer/thickener, and texturizer.
FDA — Maltodextrin Ingredient EntryMaltodextrin — FDA Substance Classification — identifies maltodextrin under 21 CFR 184.1444 and classifies it as a direct food substance affirmed as generally recognized as safe.
FDA — Maltodextrin Substance InformationEnzyme Preparations Used in Food — notes that certain enzyme preparations are used to hydrolyze edible starch in the production of maltodextrin and nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners.
FDA — Enzyme Preparations Used in Food
