Breaking apart the word “maltodextrin” can give you a basic idea of its components and action upon foods and other products: “malto” refers to the main ingredient (a starch), while “dextrin” is associated with sugars. Maltodextrin begins life as corn starch, often in the form of potatoes, tapioca, oats, wheat, or rice. It is processed into a slurry, then hydrolyzed with alpha-amylase or acids to break chemical bonds and change the complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s pure maltodextrin is commonly utilized in the food and beverage industry. 

Texture

In foods, maltodextrin works as a bulking agent, transforming runny, low viscous foods into more solid masses. Think of yogurt, baby food, gelatin, salad dressings, and sauces:How appealing would these be if they were runny? Adding maltodextrin — a largely flavorless ingredient — bulks up these foods to give a more palatable mouthfeel. Maltodextrin can also replicate the texture of fats in fat-free and low-fat foods. With the texture of fat, our bodies easily mistake maltodextrin for a less healthy, fattier, alternative.

Maltodextrin is also able to stabilize the texture in foods with a high freezing temperature. Ice cream and other frozen desserts use maltodextrin to stabilize texture, giving a consistent taste with each mouthful.

Reducing Dextrose Equivalent

Adding maltodextrin to an overly sweet food reduces the Dextrose Equivalent (DE) level. Maltodextrin has a DE range of two to 20, while dextrose’s DE hovers closer to 100. For this reason, maltodextrin is often added to sugar replacement packets.

Enhancement

Maltodextrin is often used to enhance food products. For example, adding maltodextrin to beer helps it keep a foamy head for a longer period of time, while cereals and low-fat snacks, such as pretzels, owe their shiny coat to maltodextrin. It also helps dry coatings faster and is added routinely to confectionary toppings.

Call Bell Chem today to order maltodextrin for your business. Bell Chem is your food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.