Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin
Identifiers
ChemSpider
  • None
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.934 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 232-940-4
UNII
Properties
C6nH(10n+2)O(5n+1)
Molar mass Variable
Appearance White powder
Free soluble or readily dispersible in water[1]
Solubility Slightly soluble to insoluble in anhydrous alcohol[1]
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentineFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
1
1
0
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Maltodextrin is a name shared by two different families of chemicals. Both families are glucose polymers (also called dextrose polymers or dextrins), but have little chemical or nutritional similarity.[2]

The digestible maltodextrins (or simply maltodextrins) are manufactured as white solids derived from chemical processing of plant starches.[3][4] They are used as food additives, which are digested rapidly, providing glucose as food energy. They are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for food and beverage manufacturing in numerous products.[5] Due to their rapid production of glucose, digestible maltodextrins are potential risks for people with diabetes.[6]

The digestion-resistant maltodextrins (also called resistant maltodextrins) are defined as nutritional food additives due to their ability upon fermentation in the colon to yield short-chain fatty acids, which contribute to gastrointestinal health.[3][7] Digestion-resistant maltodextrins are also white solids resulting from the chemical processing of plant starches, but are processed using methods specifically to be resistant to digestion. They are used as ingredients in many consumer products, such as low-calorie sweeteners, and are considered GRAS.

Consumers may find the shared name for different maltodextrin food additives to be confusing.[2][6]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference pubchem was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Whelan WJ (August 2008). "The wars of the carbohydrates, Part 6: What a name!". IUBMB Life. 60 (8): 555–556. doi:10.1002/iub.107. ISSN 1521-6543. PMID 18543287.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference buck was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference moore was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference gras was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Hofman DL, van Buul VJ, Brouns FJ (September 2016). "Nutrition, Health, and Regulatory Aspects of Digestible Maltodextrins". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 56 (12): 2091–100. doi:10.1080/10408398.2014.940415. PMC 4940893. PMID 25674937.
  7. ^ Li F, Muhmood A, Akhter M, Gao X, Sun J, Du Z, et al. (2023). "Characterization, health benefits, and food applications of enzymatic digestion-resistant dextrin: A review". International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 253 (Pt 4): 126970. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126970. PMID 37730002. S2CID 262085620.