Editing Maltodextrin

{{Short description|Polysaccharide of glucose}}
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| Appearance = White powder
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'''Maltodextrin''' is a name shared by two different families of chemicals. Both families are [[glucose]] [[polymer]]s (also called ''dextrose polymers'' or ''[[Dextrin|dextrins]]''), but have little chemical or nutritional similarity.<ref name="whelan">{{Cite journal |last=Whelan |first=William J. |date=August 2008 |title=The wars of the carbohydrates, Part 6: What a name! |journal=IUBMB Life |language=en |volume=60 |issue=8 |pages=555–556 |doi=10.1002/iub.107 |pmid=18543287 |issn=1521-6543}}</ref>

The '''digestible maltodextrins''' (or simply ''maltodextrins'') are  manufactured as white solids derived from chemical processing of plant [[starch]]es.<ref name=buck/><ref name=moore/> They are used as [[food additive]]s, which are digested rapidly, providing glucose as [[food energy]]. They are [[generally recognized as safe]] (GRAS) for food and beverage manufacturing in numerous products.<ref name=gras/> Due to their rapid production of glucose, digestible maltodextrins are potential risks for people with [[Type 2 diabetes|diabetes]].<ref name="hofman">{{cite journal |vauthors=Hofman DL, van Buul VJ, Brouns FJ |date=September 2016 |title=Nutrition, Health, and Regulatory Aspects of Digestible Maltodextrins |journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition |volume=56 |issue=12 |pages=2091–100 |doi=10.1080/10408398.2014.940415 |pmc=4940893 |pmid=25674937}}</ref>

The '''digestion-resistant maltodextrins''' (also called '''resistant maltodextrins''') are defined as nutritional food additives due to their ability upon [[fermentation]] in the [[colon (anatomy)|colon]] to yield [[short-chain fatty acid]]s, which contribute to [[gastrointestinal system|gastrointestinal health]].<ref name=buck/><ref name="Li">{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Fei |last2=Muhmood |first2=Atif |last3=Akhter |first3=Muhammad |last4=Gao |first4=Xiang |last5=Sun |first5=Jie |last6=Du |first6=Zubo |last7=Wei |first7=Yuxi |last8=Zhang |first8=Ting |last9=Wei |first9=Yunlu |date=2023 |title=Characterization, health benefits, and food applications of enzymatic digestion-resistant dextrin: A review |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |volume=253 |issue=Pt 4 |page=126970 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126970 |pmid=37730002 |s2cid=262085620}}</ref> 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 [[sweetener]]s, and are considered GRAS.

Consumers may find the shared name for different maltodextrin food additives to be confusing.<ref name=whelan/><ref name="hofman" />

==Definition==
Digestible maltodextrins are well-defined chemically, understood, and documented.<ref name="hofman" /> By contrast, digestion-resistant maltodextrins {{ndash}} being the newer and more complex chemical family {{ndash}} are less defined chemically, researched and documented.<ref name=Li/>

Maltodextrins are classified by a [[dextrose equivalent]] (DE),<ref name="gras" /><ref name="hofman" /> 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.<ref name=hofman/> 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 [[Combined Nomenclature|CN code]] calls it [[glucose syrup]]; at DE 10 or lower, the customs CN code nomenclature classifies maltodextrins as dextrins.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

===Digestible maltodextrin===
Maltodextrins consist of <small>D</small>-[[glucose]] units connected in chains of variable length. The glucose units are primarily linked with α(1→4) [[glycosidic bond]]s, like those seen in the linear derivative of [[glycogen]] (after the removal of α1,6- branching).<ref name="pubchem">{{cite web |date=2024 |title=Maltodextrin |url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Maltodextrin |access-date=28 January 2024 |publisher=PubChem, US National Library of Medicine}}</ref><ref name="moore">{{cite journal | last1=Moore | first1=Geovana Rocha Plácido | last2=Canto | first2=Luciana Rodrigues do | last3=Amante | first3=Edna Regina | last4=Soldi | first4=Valdir | title=Cassava and corn starch in maltodextrin production | journal=Química Nova (SciELO, Brazil) | volume=28 | issue=4 | year=2005 | issn=0100-4042 | doi=10.1590/s0100-40422005000400008 | pages=596–600}}</ref><ref name=gras/> 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.<ref name=moore/>

Maltodextrins are digested into glucose units, contributing a [[food energy]] value of 4 [[calorie]]s per gram (or 16 [[Joule|kiloJoule]]s per gram).<ref name=hofman/> Maltodextrin manufacturing produces a high-purity product with microbiological safety, making it applicable to varied food, beverage, sports, and baked products.<ref name=hofman/>

===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."<ref name="fda18">{{Cite web |title=Review of the Scientific Evidence on the Physiological Effects of Certain Non-Digestible Carbohydrates |url=https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Review-of-the-Scientific-Evidence-on-the-Physiological-Effects-of-Certain-Non-Digestible-Carbohydrates-PDF.pdf|publisher=US Food and Drug Administration|date=June 2018 |access-date=February 9, 2024}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The chemical is of greater structural complexity than a digestible maltodextrin. The two families of maltodextrins have little in common chemically or nutritionally.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Names used to identify digestion-resistant maltodextrin as an ingredient in foods for regulatory purposes include ''soluble fiber'', ''resistant dextrin'', or ''dextrin''.<ref name=whelan/><ref name=Li/> Names may include the food starch used to fabricate the ingredient.<ref name=moore/>

The chemical family has had a history of changes in classification. As of 2023, a digestion-resistant maltodextrin is considered a resistant dextrin<ref name="Li" /> and a resistant starch of type 5.<ref name="boj">{{cite journal |last1=Bojarczuk |first1=Adrianna |last2=Skąpska |first2=Sylwia |last3=Mousavi Khaneghah |first3=Amin |last4=Marszałek |first4=Krystian |year=2022 |title=Health benefits of resistant starch: A review of the literature |journal=Journal of Functional Foods |volume=93 |page=105094 |doi=10.1016/j.jff.2022.105094 |issn=1756-4646 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=birt/>{{efn|The difference in classification is of little chemical significance. It refers to the material source for manufacturing. Dextrin is a product of starch.  Maltodextrin is a product of starch or dextrin, but is neither a starch nor a dextrin.}}  Another study contrasted resistant dextrins and resistant maltodextrins, finding them to differ chemically and functionally.<ref name="chen">{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=Xinyang |last2=Hou |first2=Yinchen |last3=Wang |first3=Zhen |last4=Liao |first4=Aimei |last5=Pan |first5=Long |last6=Zhang |first6=Mingyi |last7=Xue |first7=Yingchun |last8=Wang |first8=Jingjing |last9=Liu |first9=Yingying |last10=Huang |first10=Jihong |date=2023-11-27 |title=A Comparative Study of Resistant Dextrins and Resistant Maltodextrins from Different Tuber Crop Starches |journal=Polymers |volume=15 |issue=23 |page=4545 |doi=10.3390/polym15234545 |issn=2073-4360 |pmc=10708145 |pmid=38231993 |doi-access=free}}</ref> 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 according to manufacturing preferences.<ref name="Li" /><ref name=chen/>

The digestion-resistant maltodextrin ingredient has several properties exploited in food or beverage manufacturing: it is a low-moisture (5% water), free-flowing, fine white powder that disperses readily in water; it is clear in solution with low [[viscosity]]; it is odorless, slightly acidic, and has a bland flavor; it is 90% [[dietary fiber]].<ref name=buck/> The average [[molecular mass]] of the digestion-resistant maltodextrin molecule is 2,000 [[Dalton (unit)|daltons]].<ref name=buck/>

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin 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.<ref name="Li" /> In the colon, it is a [[Prebiotic (nutrition)|prebiotic fiber]] fermented by [[gut microbiota]], resulting in the formation of short-chain fatty acids contributing to gastrointestinal health.<ref name=Li/><ref name=lpi/><ref name="fda">{{cite web |date=17 December 2021 |title=Questions and Answers on Dietary Fiber |url=https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926091818/https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 26, 2019 |access-date=30 January 2024 |publisher=US Food and Drug Administration}}</ref>

== History ==
After development of food ingredients from starch sources around 1950, digestible maltodextrins were first produced between 1967 and 1973.<ref name="be">{{Cite journal |last=BeMiller |first=James N. |date=2009-09-23 |title=One Hundred Years of Commercial Food Carbohydrates in the United States |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |language=en |volume=57 |issue=18 |pages=8125–8129 |doi=10.1021/jf8039236 |pmid=19719134 |issn=0021-8561}}</ref> Digestion-resistant maltodextrins were developed in the 1990s from studies of starch nutrition, leading to the definition of resistant starch.<ref name=eng/> This was accompanied by the detection of digestion-resistant components in food products and manufacturing methods.<ref name="buck">{{cite book |author1=Buck AW |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CWjNBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA279 |title=Resistant maltodextrin overview: Chemical and physical properties; In: Dietary Fiber and Health, chapter 20 |date=2012 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4398-9937-3 |editor1-last=Cho S, Almeida N |edition=1 |location=Boca Raton, Florida |page=279-290}}</ref><ref name="eng">{{cite journal |vauthors=Englyst HN, Kingman SM, Cummings JH |title=Classification and measurement of nutritionally important starch fractions |journal=European Journal of Clinical Nutrition |volume=46 |issue= Suppl 2|pages=S33–50 |date=October 1992 |pmid=1330528}}</ref> Some sources typically referred to digestible maltodextrin when describing maltodextrin without further definition of which maltodextrin was used.<ref name=whelan/><ref name=buck/>

==Manufacturing==
===Digestible maltodextrin production===
Maltodextrin can be enzymatically derived from any starch, such as [[maize|corn]], [[potato]], [[rice]] or [[cassava]].<ref name=pubchem/><ref name=moore/><ref name="gras">{{cite web |title=Maltodextrin. Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS |url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=184.1444 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030510181359/http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?FR=184.1444 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 10, 2003 |publisher=US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 184, US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=29 January 2024 |date=17 October 2023}}</ref> In the United States, this starch is usually corn; in Europe, it is common to use [[wheat]]. A food starch is boiled. The resulting paste  is treated with a combination of acid and enzymes to produce maltodextrins.<ref name="hofman" />

===Digestion-resistant maltodextrin production===
Digestion-resistant maltodextrins are manufactured by a process superficially similar to that for digestible maltodextrins.<ref name="buck" /><ref name="Li" /> A food starch is exposed to a combination of heat, acid and enzymes before purification.<ref name="buck" /><ref name="Li" /> Part of the process deliberately resembles human digestion {{ndash}} thus, the result is digestion-resistant by design.<ref name="buck" /><ref name="Li" /> Neither the food starch source nor the process is [[Standardization|standardized]]. {{cn|date=January 2025}}

A list of 14 preparation methods included three to four different methods, including [[microwave]] heating.<ref name="Li" /> Similar methods differed in detail, possibly because methods are optimized for the plant starch source.<ref name="Li" /> One study provided a detailed description of a laboratory method for producing digestion-resistant maltodextrins, combining several of the listed preparation methods.<ref name="chen" />

A step in one method of preparing digestion-resistant maltodextrins is [[roasting]] the plant starch in acid conditions.<ref name="buck" /> The process breaks the starch molecules  into small units, which then recombine with different, more digestion-resistant bonds.<ref name="buck" /><ref name="Li" /> Enzymes can be used to break starches apart as an alternative to roasting.<ref name="Li" />

A 2023 review found that use of different starch sources and different manufacturing techniques may produce digestion-resistant maltodextrins with varied properties, concluding that manufacturing methods for digestion-resistant maltodextrin lacked standardization.<ref name="Li" /> Another 2023 review of methods examined digestion-resistant maltodextrins from three different starch sources (potato, cassava, and [[sweet potato]]) using identical manufacturing techniques.<ref name="chen" /> 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.<ref name="chen" /> The significance of such differences to the quality of processed foods and health is unknown. A third 2023 study showed maltodextrin digestion rates to be a function of [[Molecular geometry|molecular structure]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Xuewen |last2=Leemhuis |first2=Hans |last3=van der Maarel |first3=Marc J. E. C. |date=2020-11-01 |title=Digestion kinetics of low, intermediate and highly branched maltodextrins produced from gelatinized starches with various microbial glycogen branching enzymes |journal=Carbohydrate Polymers |volume=247 |pages=116729 |doi=10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116729 |pmid=32829851 |issn=0144-8617}}</ref>

==Food uses==
In the European Union, wheat-derived maltodextrin is exempt from wheat allergen labeling, as set out in Annex II of [[Directive (European Union)|EC Regulation]] No 1169/2011.<ref>{{cite act|type=Directive|number=1169/2011|date=25 October 2011|article=II|article-type=Annex|title=Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32011R1169&from=en|access-date=4 Apr 2016}}</ref> 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 FDA policy.<ref name="hofman" />

===Digestible maltodextrin===

Maltodextrin has varied applications for food and beverage processing, including [[medical food]], [[baby food]], hospital food, and sports supplement products.<ref name="hofman" /> It is also used as a substitute for [[lactose]].<ref name="hofman" />

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.<ref name=hofman/>  It is an effective [[Flavoring|flavorant]], bulking agent, and [[sugar substitute]].<ref name="hofman" />

Maltodextrin is easily digestible and can provide a quick source of food energy.<ref name=hofman/> 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.<ref name="pmid26184303">{{cite journal |vauthors=Baker LB, Rollo I, Stein KW, Jeukendrup AE |title=Acute Effects of Carbohydrate Supplementation on Intermittent Sports Performance |journal=Nutrients |volume=7 |issue=7 |pages=5733–63 |date=July 2015 |pmid=26184303 |pmc=4517026 |doi=10.3390/nu7075249 |doi-access=free }}</ref> It can be taken as a [[dietary supplement]] in powder form, [[gel]] packets, [[energy drink]]s<ref name=hofman/> or oral rinse.<ref name="pmid35239154">{{cite journal |vauthors=Hartley C, Carr A, Bowe SJ, Bredie WL, Keast RS |title=Maltodextrin-Based Carbohydrate Oral Rinsing and Exercise Performance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |journal=Sports Medicine |volume=52 |issue=8 |pages=1833–1862 |date=August 2022 |pmid=35239154 |pmc=9325805 |doi=10.1007/s40279-022-01658-3 }}</ref><ref name="pmid35373671">{{cite journal |vauthors=Rodrigues Oliveira-Silva IG, Dos Santos MP, Learsi da Silva Santos Alves SK, Lima-Silva AE, Araujo GG, Ataide-Silva T|title=Effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on muscle strength and muscular endurance: A systematic review with meta-analysis |journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition |volume=63 |issue=27 |pages=8796–8807 |date=2023 |pmid=35373671 |doi=10.1080/10408398.2022.2057417 |s2cid=247938929 }}</ref> Maltodextrin has a high [[glycemic index]] of 110, compared to glucose (100) and table sugar (80).<ref>{{cite web|title=Understanding sweeteners|publisher=Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, Veterans Administration, US Government and University of Wisconsin Integrative Health Program|date=2020|url=https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/docs/Understanding-Sweeteners-508.pdf|vauthors=Redmer J, Minichiello V|accessdate=24 February 2024}}</ref>

In the United States, maltodextrin is considered a safe ingredient (GRAS) for food manufacturing.<ref name="gras" />

===Digestion-resistant maltodextrin===
Digestion-resistant maltodextrin is included among other sources as ''functional fiber'', meaning its use in foods may provide improved function of the gastrointestinal system.<ref name="lpi">{{cite web |title=Fiber |url=https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/fiber |publisher=Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University |access-date=2 February 2024 |date=June 2019}}</ref> 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]].<ref name=Li/><ref name=chen/> 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.<ref name=Li/><ref name=chen/>

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.<ref name=Li/> The characteristics of digestion-resistant maltodextrins allow them to be added to diverse kinds of food products, such as beverages, dairy products, and desserts.<ref name="Li" /><ref name="chen" />

They are also relatively low-calorie, colorless, odorless and tasteless.<ref name=Li/> They are nontoxic, chemically stable, and nonreactive with other food ingredients over the range of temperatures required for food preparation and storage.<ref name=Li/><ref name=boj/>

In Europe, the United States, and Canada, industrial digestion-resistant maltodextrin is recognized as a safe ingredient for food manufacturing.<ref name="Li" /><ref name="fda" /><ref name="efsa2014"/><ref name="hc" />

==Health research==
===Digestible maltodextrin===

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]].<ref name=hofman/> As maltodextrin is quickly digested and absorbed, excessive consumption may contribute to weight gain, impaired insulin sensitivity, and elevated [[blood lipid]]s, if not balanced with an appropriate lifestyle or diet.<ref name=hofman/>

===Digestion-resistant maltodextrin===
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]].<ref name=Li/><ref name=boj/> While traversing the colon, digestion-resistant maltodextrin is a substrate for producing short-chain fatty acids {{ndash}} the main energy source of cells lining the colon, thereby contributing to health of the gastrointestinal system.<ref name=Li/><ref name="birt">{{cite journal |vauthors=Birt DF, Boylston T, Hendrich S, Jane JL, Hollis J, Li L, McClelland J, Moore S, Phillips GJ, Rowling M, Schalinske K, Scott MP, Whitley EM |date=November 2013 |title=Resistant starch: promise for improving human health |journal=Advances in Nutrition |volume=4 |issue=6 |pages=587–601 |doi=10.3945/an.113.004325 |pmc=3823506 |pmid=24228189}}</ref><ref name=chen/><ref name=lpi/><ref name=fda/><ref name=hc/> Consumption of foods containing digestion-resistant maltodextrin increases the frequency and volume of [[bowel movement]]s, potentially relieving [[constipation]].<ref name="bowel">{{cite journal |vauthors=Watanabe N, Suzuki M, Yamaguchi Y, Egashira Y |title=Effects of resistant maltodextrin on bowel movements: a systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology |volume=11 |issue= |pages=85–96 |date=2018 |pmid=29535547 |pmc=5836649 |doi=10.2147/CEG.S153924|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Reviews have concluded that digestion-resistant maltodextrin is classified as a [[Resistant starch#Definition and categorization|type 5 resistant starch (RS5)]], a prebiotic dietary fiber having properties that may improve management of diabetes and other disorders of metabolic syndrome.<ref name=boj/><ref name="lock">{{cite journal |vauthors=Lockyer S, Nugent AP |date=2017 |title=Health effects of resistant starch |journal=Nutrition Bulletin |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=10–41 |doi=10.1111/nbu.12244 |issn=1471-9827}}</ref> Consumption of food or beverage products containing fermentable dietary fibers, such as digestion-resistant maltodextrin, may cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, and [[flatulence]].<ref name=lpi/>

===Health claim regulation===

In 2014, a scientific panel for the [[European Food Safety Authority]] concluded that manufactured foods containing a commercial digestion-resistant dextrin were eligible for a [[health claim]] of reducing post-meal [[blood glucose]] levels.<ref name="efsa2014">{{cite journal |author1=European Food Safety Authority Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies |title=Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to Nutriose®06 and a reduction of post-prandial glycaemic responses pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 |journal=EFSA Journal |date=8 October 2014 |volume=12|issue=10|page=3839|doi=10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3839 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

In 2017, [[Health Canada]] included digestion-resistant maltodextrin among manufactured sources of dietary fiber having desirable [[physiology|physiological]] effects eligible for product labeling.<ref name="hc">{{cite web |title=Policy for Labelling and Advertising of Dietary Fibre-Containing Food Products |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/food-nutrition/labelling-advertising-dietary-fibre-food-products.html |publisher=Health Canada, Government of Canada |access-date=30 January 2024 |date=May 2017}}</ref>

In 2018, the United States FDA 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.<ref name=fda/><ref name="fda-guide">{{cite web |title=Guidance for Industry: The Declaration of Certain Isolated or Synthetic Non-Digestible Carbohydrates as Dietary Fiber on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels |url=https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-declaration-certain-isolated-or-synthetic-non-digestible-carbohydrates-dietary |publisher=US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=2 February 2024 |date=June 2018}}</ref>

==Other uses==
Maltodextrin is used to coat pills and tablets, and to formulate powders, in the manufacturing of [[prescription drug]]s and dietary supplement products.<ref name=hofman/> It is also used as a horticultural [[insecticide]] both in the field and in greenhouses.<ref name=insect/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Downey |first=John |date=2022-09-12 |title=New, improved formulation of maltodextrin |url=https://hortnews.com/new-improved-formulation-of-maltodextrin/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Hort News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Having no biochemical action, its efficacy is based upon spraying a dilute solution upon the pest insects, whereupon the solution dries, blocks insect [[Spiracle (arthropods)|spiracles]], and causes death by [[asphyxiation]].<ref name="insect">{{cite web |title=Majestik Label |url=https://www.dejex.co.uk/productpdfs/212_insecticides/CHEM-MAJ-005_Majestik_Label.pdf |website=Dejex: Supplying Horticulture |access-date=17 March 2020 |archive-date=17 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317051555/https://www.dejex.co.uk/productpdfs/212_insecticides/CHEM-MAJ-005_Majestik_Label.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Icodextrin]]
* [[Maltose]]
* [[Maltotriose]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commonscatinline}}

{{Carbohydrates}}

[[Category:Oligosaccharides]]
[[Category:Sports nutrition]]
[[Category:Starch]]
[[Category:Sweeteners]]