Maltodextrin

Maltodextrins are carbohydrates used as ingredients in processed foods.^[1][2] Like all polysaccharides, they are white solids. They are derived from various plant starch sources using several different manufacturing processes. Maltodextrins can be classified as digestible or non-digestible (or digestion-resistant maltodextrin). These two different forms are also identified as non-fermentable or fermentable dietary fiber, respectively.^[1][3]

Maltodextrin

Identifiers
CAS Number	9050-36-6^Y
ChemSpider	None
ECHA InfoCard	100.029.934
EC Number	232-940-4
UNII	7CVR7L4A2D^Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID5027720
Properties
Chemical formula	C6nH(10n+2)O(5n+1)
Molar mass	Variable
Appearance	White powder
Solubility in water	Free soluble or readily dispersible in water^[1]
Solubility	Slightly soluble to insoluble in anhydrous alcohol^[1]
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	1 1 0
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is ^YN ?) Infobox references

Ordinarily, maltodextrin is broken down by digestive enzymes in humans. One manufacturing process intentionally rearranges starch molecules^[4][5] in a way that makes maltodextrin resistant to digestion. Consumption of digestion-resistant maltodextrin is associated with potential improvement of biomarkers for diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.^[5][6][7][8] Digestion-resistant maltodextrin is produced worldwide for use in foods as a fiber additive.^[1][4]

The use of the same generic name for different products that have potentially different health effects may be confusing for consumers.^[2]

Definition

Digestible maltodextrins are adequately defined, understood and documented. Digestion-resistant maltodextrins, being the newer and more complex chemical family, are less defined, researched and documented.

Maltodextrins are classified by a dextrose equivalent (DE),^[2][9] a number between 3 and 20 that corresponds to the number of free chain ends in a certain sample. A lower DE value means the polymer chains are longer (contain more glucose units) whereas a higher DE value means the chains are shorter. This is an inverse concept compared with the degree of polymerization of the chain. A high-DE maltodextrin is sweeter, more soluble, and has lower heat resistance. Above DE 20, the European Union's CN code calls it glucose syrup; at DE 10 or lower the customs CN code nomenclature classifies maltodextrins as dextrins.

Digestible maltodextrin

Maltodextrins consist of D-glucose units connected in chains of variable length. The glucose units are primarily linked with α(1→4) glycosidic bonds, like those seen in the linear derivative of glycogen (after the removal of α1,6- branching).^[1][9][10] Commercial maltodextrin is typically composed of a mixture of chains that vary from three to 17 glucose units long. Properties of maltodextrin, such as sweetness, viscosity, and texture, can be manipulated during manufacturing by altering the extent of starch hydrolysis.^[5][10]

Maltodextrins are digested into glucose units, contributing a food energy value of 4 calories per gram (or 16 kiloJoules per gram).^[2] Maltodextrin manufacturing produces a high-purity product with microbiological safety, making it applicable to varied food, beverage, sports, and baked products.^[2]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin

See also: Resistant starch

Digestion-resistant maltodextrins are a chemical family much larger than the family of digestible maltodextrins. A definition of a digestion-resistant maltodextrin is: "Resistant maltodextrin/dextrin is a glucose oligosaccharide. Resistant maltodextrin and dextrin products are composed of non-digestible oligosaccharides of glucose molecules that are joined by digestible linkages and non-digestible α-1,2 and α-1,3 linkages."^[11] The chemical is of greater structural complexity than a digestible maltodextrin. The two families of maltodextins have little in common chemically or nutritionally.^[12][a]

Names used to identify digestion-resistant maltodextrin as an ingredient in foods for regulatory purposes include soluble fiber, resistant dextrin, or dextrin. Names may include the food starch used to fabricate the ingredient.^[11]

The chemical family has had a history of changes in classification. As of 2023, a digestion-resistant maltodextrin is considered a resistant dextrin^[8] and a resistant starch of type 5.^[5] Another study contrasted resistant dextrins and resistant maltodextrins, finding them to be much different.^[13] In that study, the final maltodextrin product required further processing of the resistant dextrin. The chemical family is effectively defined by the food starch and the manufacturing process, both of which may vary.^[8]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin has the properties of low viscosity and high water solubility.^[8] It is a soluble (fermentable) dietary fiber with numerous non-starch glycosidic bonds, allowing it to pass through the digestive tract unchanged in physical properties without undergoing digestion, supplying no food energy.^[8]

In the colon, it is a prebiotic fiber fermented by gut microbiota, resulting in the formation of short-chain fatty acids involved in gastrointestinal health.^{[3][5][8][14]}

History

After development of food ingredients from starch sources around 1950, digestible maltodextrins were first produced between 1967 and 1973.^[15] Digestion-resistant maltodextrins were developed in the 1990s.^[16] Some sources typically referred to digestible maltodextrin when describing maltodextrin without further definition of which maltodextrin was used.^[4][12]

Manufacturing

Digestible maltodextrin production

Maltodextrin can be enzymatically derived from any starch, such as corn, potato, rice or cassava.^[1][9][10] In the United States, this starch is usually corn; in Europe, it is common to use wheat. A food starch is boiled. The result is treated with a combination of acid and enzymes to produce maltodextrins.^[2]

In the European Union, wheat-derived maltodextrin is exempt from wheat allergen labeling, as set out in Annex II of EC Regulation No 1169/2011.^[17] In the United States, however, it is not exempt from allergen declaration per the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, and its effect on a voluntary gluten-free claim must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis per the applicable Food and Drug Administration policy.^[2]

In the United States, maltodextrin is considered a safe ingredient (GRAS) for food manufacturing.^[9]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin production

Digestion-resistant maltodextrins are manufactured by a process superficially similar to that for digestible maltodextrins. A food starch is exposed to a combination of heat, acid and enzymes before purification. Part of the process deliberately resembles human digestion – thus the result is digestion-resistant by design. Neither the food starch source nor the process is standardized.^[8] A detailed description of a laboratory method of producing digestion-resistant maltodextrins is available.^[13]

Because resistance to enzymatic digestion of maltodextrin is produced by enzymatic effects, starch dextrinization is completed specifically at the 1,2- and 1,3-glycosidic bonds.^[5][13] Production occurs by control of temperature and acid catalysts on the starch source, forming new bonds to make dextrins less sensitive to digestion by reducing the number of targets within the dextrin molecule for potential enzyme action.^[13]

Roasting the starch source in an acidic condition causes hydrolysis and transglucosidation of the glycosidic bonds, producing a soluble pyrodextrin with glucose equivalents of less than 20, resulting in the digestion-resistant maltodextrin.^[4][13] To facilitate purification, the dextrin is further treated with alpha-amylase and glucoamylase enzymes.^[4]

As of 2022, method innovations, such as using high hydrostatic pressure, microwaves, extrusion, and sonication, were in development to improve manufacturing efficiencies.^[5] Numerous industrial brands of digestion-resistant maltodextrin exist.^[5]

A 2023 review found that different starch sources and different manufacturing techniques may produce different digestion-resistant maltodextrins, concluding that manufacturing methods for digestion-resistant maltodextrin lacked standardization.^[8] Another 2023 review of methods examined digestion-resistant maltodextrins from three different starch sources (potato, cassava, and sweet potato) using identical manufacturing techniques.^[13] The resulting digestion-resistant maltodextrins were measured to have small physical and chemical differences, such as in formation of dextrin crystals and surface porosity, digestion resistance (80-85%), thermal stabilities, solubility, and formation of pastes.^[13] The significance of such differences to the quality of processed foods and health is unknown. A third study in 2023 showed maltodextrin digestion rates to be a function of molecular structure.^[18]

In Europe, the United States, and Canada, industrial digestion-resistant maltodextrin is recognized as a safe ingredient for food manufacturing.^{[3][8][19][20]}

Food uses

Digestible maltodextrin uses

Maltodextrin has varied applications for food and beverage processing, including medical food, baby food, hospital food, and sports supplement products.^[2] It is also used as a substitute for lactose.^[2]

Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and mouthfeel of food and beverage products, such as potato chips and "light" peanut butter to reduce the fat content.^[2] It is an effective flavorant, bulking agent, and sugar substitute.^[2]

Maltodextrin is easily digestible and can provide a quick source of food energy.^[2] Due to its rapid absorption, maltodextrin is used by athletes as an ingredient in sports drinks or recovery supplements to replenish glycogen stores and enhance performance during prolonged exercise.^[21] It can be taken as a dietary supplement in powder form, gel packets, energy drinks^[2] or oral rinse.^[22][23] Maltodextrin has a high glycemic index, ranging from 85 to 119,^{[24][better source needed]} higher than table sugar.^[1]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin uses

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin is included among other sources as functional fiber, meaning its use in foods may provide improved function of the gastrointestinal system.^[14] The low molecular weight, low viscosity, high water solubility, and resistance to enzymatic activity allow digestion-resistant maltodextrin to avoid digestion in the gastrointestinal tract.^[5][8][13] Such properties may be advantageous to add digestion-resistant maltodextrin as a source of fermentable dietary fiber in food manufacturing, while maintaining the sensory qualities of processed foods.^[5][8][13]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrins, as prebiotic dietary fiber, are additives used in processed foods primarily as bulking agents or with the intent to confer a health effect.^[5][8] The characteristics of digestion-resistant maltodextrins allow them to be added to diverse kinds of food products, such as beverages, dairy products, and desserts.^[8][13]

They are also relatively low-calorie, colorless, odorless and tasteless.^[8] They are nontoxic, chemically stable, and nonreactive with other food ingredients over the range of temperatures required for food preparation and storage.^[5][8]

Health research

Digestible maltodextrin and health

Due to its liberation of glucose molecules when digested, maltodextrin can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels when consumed in large quantities, especially for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance.^[2] As maltodextrin is quickly digested and absorbed, excessive consumption may contribute to weight gain, impaired insulin sensitivity, and elevated blood lipids, if not balanced with an appropriate lifestyle or diet.^[2]

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin and health

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin is a fermentable dietary fiber under research for its potential to lower the risk of hypoglycemia, obesity, and associated disorders of metabolic syndrome.^[5][8] While traversing the colon, digestion-resistant maltodextrin is a substrate for producing short-chain fatty acids – the main energy source of cells lining the colon, thereby contributing to health of the gastrointestinal system.^{[3][5][7][8][13][20]} Consumption of foods containing digestion-resistant maltodextrin increases the frequency and volume of bowel movements, potentially relieving constipation.^[25]

Reviews have concluded that digestion-resistant maltodextrin is classified as a type 5 resistant starch (RS5), a prebiotic dietary fiber having properties that may improve management of diabetes and other disorders of metabolic syndrome.^[5][6][7] Consumption of food or beverage products containing fermentable dietary fibers, such as digestion-resistant maltodextrin, may cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, and flatulence.^[14]

Health claim regulation

In 2011, a scientific panel for the European Food Safety Authority concluded that manufactured foods containing digestion-resistant starch were eligible for a health claim of reducing post-meal blood glucose levels, providing digestive health benefits, and facilitating normal colon metabolism.^[19]

In 2017, Health Canada included digestion-resistant maltodextrin among manufactured sources of dietary fiber having desirable physiological effects eligible for product labeling.^[20]

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration issued an industry guidance document stating that foods made with digestion-resistant maltodextrin could be advertised as providing a health benefit from fermentable dietary fiber.^[3][26]

Other uses

Maltodextrin is used to coat pills and tablets, and to formulate powders, in the manufacturing of prescription drugs and dietary supplement products.^[2] It is also used as a horticultural insecticide both in the field and in greenhouses.^[27] Having no biochemical action, its efficacy is based upon spraying a dilute solution upon the pest insects, whereupon the solution dries, blocks insect spiracles, and causes death by asphyxiation.^[27]

See also

• Icodextrin
• Maltose
• Maltotriose

Notes

1. An analogy: The digestible maltodextrin family consists of linear glucose chains of variable length (3 to 19 links). Each member of the digestion-resistant maltodextrin family consists of a heap of such glucose chains randomly welded together.

References

1. "Maltodextrin". PubChem, US National Library of Medicine. 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
2. 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.
3. "Questions and Answers on Dietary Fiber". US Food and Drug Administration. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
4. Buck AW (2012). Cho S, Almeida N (ed.). Resistant maltodextrin overview: Chemical and physical properties; In: Dietary Fiber and Health, chapter 20 (1 ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 279-290. ISBN 9781439899373.
5. Bojarczuk, Adrianna; Skąpska, Sylwia; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin; Marszałek, Krystian (2022). "Health benefits of resistant starch: A review of the literature". Journal of Functional Foods. 93: 105094. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2022.105094. ISSN 1756-4646.
6. Lockyer S, Nugent AP (2017). "Health effects of resistant starch". Nutrition Bulletin. 42 (1): 10–41. doi:10.1111/nbu.12244. ISSN 1471-9827.
7. Birt DF, Boylston T, Hendrich S, et al. (November 2013). "Resistant starch: promise for improving human health". Advances in Nutrition. 4 (6): 587–601. doi:10.3945/an.113.004325. PMC 3823506. PMID 24228189.
8. Li, Fei; Muhmood, Atif; Akhter, Muhammad; 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.
9. "Maltodextrin. Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS". US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 184, US Food and Drug Administration. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
10. Moore, Geovana Rocha Plácido; Canto, Luciana Rodrigues do; Amante, Edna Regina; Soldi, Valdir (2005). "Cassava and corn starch in maltodextrin production". Química Nova (SciELO, Brazil). 28 (4): 596–600. doi:10.1590/s0100-40422005000400008. ISSN 0100-4042.
11. "Review of the Scientific Evidence on the Physiological Effects of Certain Non-Digestible Carbohydrates" (PDF). US Food and Drug Administration. June 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
12. Whelan, William J. (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.
13. Chen, Xinyang; Hou, Yinchen; Wang, Zhen; et al. (2023-11-27). "A Comparative Study of Resistant Dextrins and Resistant Maltodextrins from Different Tuber Crop Starches". Polymers. 15 (23): 4545. doi:10.3390/polym15234545. ISSN 2073-4360. PMC 10708145. PMID 38231993.
14. "Fiber". Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. June 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
15. BeMiller, James N. (2009-09-23). "One Hundred Years of Commercial Food Carbohydrates in the United States". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 57 (18): 8125–8129. doi:10.1021/jf8039236. ISSN 0021-8561.
16. Englyst HN, Kingman SM, Cummings JH (October 1992). "Classification and measurement of nutritionally important starch fractions". European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 46 Suppl 2: S33–50. PMID 1330528.
17. "Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council". Annex II, Directive No. 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011. Retrieved 4 Apr 2016.
18. Zhang, Xuewen; Leemhuis, Hans; van der Maarel, Marc J. E. C. (2020-11-01). "Digestion kinetics of low, intermediate and highly branched maltodextrins produced from gelatinized starches with various microbial glycogen branching enzymes". Carbohydrate Polymers. 247: 116729. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116729. ISSN 0144-8617.
19. European Food Safety Authority Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (8 April 2011). "Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to resistant starch and reduction of post-prandial glycaemic responses (ID 681), "digestive health benefits" (ID 682) and "favours a normal colon metabolism" (ID 783) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006". EFSA Journal. 9 (4). doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2024.
20. "Policy for Labelling and Advertising of Dietary Fibre-Containing Food Products". Health Canada, Government of Canada. May 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
21. Baker LB, Rollo I, Stein KW, Jeukendrup AE (July 2015). "Acute Effects of Carbohydrate Supplementation on Intermittent Sports Performance". Nutrients. 7 (7): 5733–63. doi:10.3390/nu7075249. PMC 4517026. PMID 26184303.
22. Hartley C, Carr A, Bowe SJ, Bredie WL, Keast RS (August 2022). "Maltodextrin-Based Carbohydrate Oral Rinsing and Exercise Performance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Sports Medicine. 52 (8): 1833–1862. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01658-3. PMC 9325805. PMID 35239154.
23. Rodrigues Oliveira-Silva IG, Dos Santos MP, Learsi da Silva Santos Alves SK, et al. (2023). "Effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on muscle strength and muscular endurance: A systematic review with meta-analysis". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 63 (27): 8796–8807. doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2057417. PMID 35373671. S2CID 247938929.
24. "Maltodextrin: The Time and Place for High Glycemic Carbohydrates". 8 March 2020.
25. Watanabe N, Suzuki M, Yamaguchi Y, Egashira Y (2018). "Effects of resistant maltodextrin on bowel movements: a systematic review and meta-analysis". Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology. 11: 85–96. doi:10.2147/CEG.S153924. PMC 5836649. PMID 29535547.
26. "Guidance for Industry: The Declaration of Certain Isolated or Synthetic Non-Digestible Carbohydrates as Dietary Fiber on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". US Food and Drug Administration. June 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
27. "Majestik Label" (PDF). Dejex: Supplying Horticulture. Retrieved 17 March 2020.

External links

•   Media related to Maltodextrin at Wikimedia Commons