Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used primarily in foods and beverages as a thickener, sweetener, and/or stabilizer. It is a relatively short-chain polymer (some would call it an oligomer); commercial products contain an average of ≈3 to ≈17 glucose units per chain. It is manufactured by partially hydrolyzing grain starches, usually corn or wheat.
Because maltodextrin is safe, inexpensive, and extremely water-soluble, it is used widely as a food additive in a variety of products, ranging from infant formula to ice cream to salad dressing to peanut butter to beer. It is a supplemental ingredient in sweeteners such as sucralose and stevia.
Maltodextrin is not as good a sweetening agent as sucrose (common sugar), but it has as much calorie content as the equivalent amount of sugar. Obese individuals and diabetics should be aware that a food contains maltodextrin before consuming it; it is a listed ingredient on food labels.
Despite these caveats, maltodextrin consumption is increasing steadily. According to Business Wire, the market will expand by >5% annually through 2020, when global sales will reach >US$3 billion.
In Food
Maltodextrin is used as food thickner in food such as in beer, ice cream, infant formula, brewing, potato chips and jerky, frozen food, Maltodextrin powder used as a supplement by bodybuilders and athletes, sodas and candy.
In Beverages
The beverages are scientifically prepared with Maltodextrin,which add more flavor,soluble,consistent and delicious,and reduce sweet taste and cost. There are more advantages of these kinds of beverages than that of the traditional drinks and foods such as ice-cream,fast tea and coffee etc
In Pharmaceutical
Capsules often contain maltodextrin since it neither adds nor detracts from the medicinal content while stabilizing the drugs.
In Health & Personal care products
maltodextrin used as Absorbent; Binding agent; Emulsion Stabilizer; Film-forming agent; Skin conditioning in cosmetic products. The application in baby products, bath products, cleansing products, eye makeup, shaving preparations and hair and skin care products.
In Agriculture/Animal Feed/Poultry
Maltodextrin used as a stabilizer, thickener, anticaking agent and bulking agent. Maltodextrin may also be used in livestock feed and health care products to provide an easily digestible energy source intermediate between starches and sugars.
In Other Industries
Maltodextrin is used in artificial sweeteners. Maltodextrin acts as a binding agent, helping to create the crystal-like sugars that are then put into packets. Although maltodextrin does not taste sweet, it is a saccharide, meaning its chemical properties are similar to a sugar.
