A polysaccharide, maltodextrin is a food additive and flavour enhancer. It is made from starches through a process known as partial hydrolysis, which reduces starch into smaller molecules known as polymers. Maltodextrin serves a variety of purposes, such as serving as a filler ingredient, enhancing powdered appearance, reducing sweetness, preventing melting, delaying or preventing granulation, and minimising nutrient losses. Maltodextrin should only be used sparingly by diabetic and/or hypoglycemic people and in accordance with a healthcare professional's recommendations due to its high glycemic index value of 185-105.
Maltodextrin are starch hydrolyzed products that are not sweet and include -d-glucose with a dextrose equivalent of under 20. (Bemiller and Whistler, 1996). The percentage of the total dry substance that is reported as the dextrose equivalency value indicates the amount of reducing sugars that are present. Maltodextrin are widely employed as bulking agents, but when used in quantities high enough, they have the capacity to bind water, which greatly affects mouthfeel and the viscosity of meat products.
