Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin (CAS 9050-36-6), also recognized under E1400, is a starch-derived carbohydrate used as a carrier and bulking agent in food, pharmaceutical, and personal care manufacturing.

Where is Maltodextrin used?

• Food manufacturing: encapsulates spray-dried flavors and stabilizes emulsions
• Powdered products: improves flowability in soups, sauces, and infant formula
• Pharmaceuticals: filler and binder in tablet and capsule formulations
• Sports nutrition and functional food: rapidly digestible carbohydrate carrier for active ingredient delivery
• Personal care: film-forming agent and powder binder in dry shampoos, pressed powders, and skin-care bases
• It is also found in pressed powders and skin-care bases to improve texture.
• In hard candies and caramels, DE 10–15 maltodextrin is used at 15–25% of total sugar solids to inhibit sucrose crystallization.
• In the beer industry, it is added during aging to increase the specific gravity of the final product without changing alcohol content or aroma.
• Serves as a base energy supplier in medical drinking and tube feeding (enteral nutrition).

Good to know: Dextrin malto is a related term buyers may encounter when sourcing specific DE-range grades. Selection is driven by sweetness level, hygroscopicity, and solubility requirements.

Formulation notes

• Low DE maltodextrin is added to liquid foods at 1-5% to provide full body and mouthfeel.
• Can replace about 25-35% of the fat in cookies.
• Can undergo Maillard reactions with amino acids under certain pH and temperature conditions, causing yellowing or browning.
• Potato maltodextrin has a higher digestion rate, higher viscosity, and forms a clearer solution than corn and waxy corn maltodextrin at the same DE.

Typical specification

• Infant-grade maltodextrin has a lead limit of ≤ 0.10 mg/kg, compared to ≤ 0.50 mg/kg for standard food grade.
• Available in different particle sizes and in two dextrose equivalent values, DE 12 and DE 18.

Regulatory status

• In the European Union, wheat-derived maltodextrin is exempt from wheat allergen labeling as per Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 Annex II.
• Maltodextrin is gluten-free (<20 ppm) according to Regulation 2009/41/CE.
• Maltodextrin is not derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO < 0.9 %) according to Regulations 1829/03/CE and 1830/03/CE.
• Maltodextrin contains no allergens according to Regulation 1169/2011, with a maximum sulfur dioxide concentration of 10 mg/kg.

Storage, packaging and handling

• It should be stored at a temperature of 25 °C or below in a dry place protected from light.
• Maltodextrin is stable for at least 1 year when stored at cold temperature (<30°C) and relative humidity below 50%.

Frequently asked questions about Maltodextrin

In which food applications is maltodextrin used as a fat replacer?

Maltodextrin is used as a fat replacer in salad dressings, sauces, margarine, and frozen desserts.

How does maltodextrin affect carbohydrate-water absorption in sports drinks?

Combining maltodextrins with a fructose source improves carbohydrate-water absorption while keeping osmolality low, especially at carbohydrate concentrations above 40 g/l.

What functions does maltodextrin perform in dairy and beverage formulations?

In milk beverages it improves viscosity and mouthfeel; in soy beverages it increases dry matter and improves mouthfeel; in the beverage sector it acts as a thickener to give body to watery drinks; and in the dairy sector it lowers the freezing point of ice cream so it stays softer.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.