A guide to food-grade maltodextrin — what it is, what dextrose equivalent means, and how it compares with corn syrup solids and dextrose — from a US-based distributor.
Maltodextrin is a white, nearly flavorless carbohydrate powder made by partially breaking down starch into short glucose chains. Food makers use it to add bulk, body, and solids without sweetness, and to carry flavors and spray-dried ingredients. Stratus Chemical supplies US-made, food-grade DE 10 maltodextrin in 50 lb bags, with COA and SDS.
| Chemical name | Maltodextrin |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 9050-36-6 |
| EC number | 232-940-4 |
| General formula | (C6H10O5)n·H2O |
| Synonyms | Maltodextrine, corn maltodextrin, starch hydrolysate, dextrin (loosely) |
| Source | Corn, grown in North America; manufactured in the United States |
| Grade supplied | Food grade, DE 10 (9.0–13.0); meets FCC; GRAS, 21 CFR 184.1444 |
| Certifications | Kosher Pareve, Halal |
| Label declaration | Maltodextrin |
| Packaging | 50 lb bags |
Maltodextrin is made by cooking starch — here, corn starch — and hydrolyzing it with acid or enzymes until the long starch chains break into shorter chains of glucose. The hydrolysis is stopped early, refined, and spray dried into a free-flowing white powder. How far the breakdown goes is measured as dextrose equivalent (DE): starch is about 0, pure dextrose is 100, and US regulations define maltodextrin as anything below DE 20.
A DE 10 maltodextrin sits at the low end, and that is why it is useful. Its chains are long enough that it is only slightly sweet, browns very little when heated, and picks up little moisture from the air, yet it dissolves readily and adds viscosity and body. That lets a formulator add solids, bulk, or mouthfeel to a product without changing its sweetness or color — something sugar and corn syrup solids cannot do.
| Appearance | White, odorless powder |
|---|---|
| Dextrose equivalent (DE) | 9.0–13.0 |
| Moisture | 6.0% max |
| pH | 4.0–5.5 |
| Residue on ignition | 0.5% max |
| Protein | 0.1% max |
| Through #60 mesh | 90% min |
| Through #100 mesh | 80% min |
| Bulk density | 35.0 lb/ft³ (0.56 g/mL) |
| Aerobic plate count | 100 /g max |
| Yeast / mold | 50 cfu/g max each |
| Coliforms | 3 cfu/g max |
DE, moisture, and pH are reported on the Certificate of Analysis for every lot. Per 100 g, DE 10 maltodextrin provides about 376 kcal and 94.5 g carbohydrate, of which 3.3 g are sugars, with no fat or protein.
Drink mixes, protein powders, and sports nutrition products use maltodextrin as a readily digestible carbohydrate, a bulking agent that makes serving sizes practical, and a flow aid that keeps powders from clumping. Its low sweetness lets the formulator set sweetness independently with sugar or high-intensity sweeteners.
Maltodextrin is the standard carrier for spray-dried flavors, colors, fruit and vegetable powders, and oils. It forms a matrix around the active ingredient during drying, protecting it from oxidation and turning liquids into free-flowing powders.
In dry soup and sauce mixes, seasoning blends, and snack coatings, maltodextrin adds body, helps seasonings adhere, and dilutes costly ingredients without adding sweetness or browning.
In ice cream and frozen desserts, maltodextrin raises solids and helps control freezing point, giving a smoother texture. In confectionery it inhibits sugar crystal growth, controls texture, and binds, with low browning during cooking.
Because it adds viscosity and body at low sweetness, maltodextrin is widely used to rebuild mouthfeel in reduced-fat and reduced-sugar products.
| Maltodextrin (DE 10) | Corn syrup solids (DE 20+) | Dextrose (DE ~100) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | Very low | Moderate | High |
| Browning when heated | Very low | Moderate | High |
| Moisture pickup | Low | Moderate | Higher |
| Body and viscosity | High | Moderate | Low |
| Freezing-point depression | Low | Moderate | High |
| Best fit | Bulking, carriers, body without sweetness | Sweetness plus solids, binding | Sweetness, fermentation, browning |
How to choose: the higher the DE, the sweeter the ingredient, the faster it browns, the more moisture it attracts, and the more it lowers freezing point. DE 10 maltodextrin wins when you need solids and body without sweetness or color, and it keeps powders free-flowing. It loses when you want sweetness, Maillard browning, or softer frozen texture — there, corn syrup solids or dextrose do the job better. Many formulas blend them.
The maltodextrin Stratus Chemical supplies is GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1444, meets FCC specifications, and is produced under FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices in an FSSC 22000-certified facility. It is made from corn in the United States, contains none of the major food allergens, and is gluten-free. Sulfur dioxide used in corn wet milling remains below 10 ppm. Mycotoxins have tested non-detectable, and no Proposition 65 warning is required. Although it may be derived from bioengineered corn, it is highly refined and does not require disclosure under the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. It is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets; it is not certified organic.
Humidity and caking. Store below 50% relative humidity and no warmer than 30 °C (86 °F). Under those conditions, quality does not change and shelf life is better than two years. The practical risk is caking, or “warehouse set”, when bags see humidity swings or sit under heavy stacking for long periods. Rotate stock first in, first out and keep opened bags closed.
Dust. Like other fine food powders, maltodextrin dust can be combustible in air. Use normal dust control and grounding when tipping bags into mixers.
Packaging. 50 lb multiwall bags (about 21 × 23.5 × 6.1 in), shipped on heat-treated, food-safe ISPM-15 pallets. COA and SDS are provided with every shipment, and a full product dossier with allergen, nutrition, and regulatory statements is available on request.
Maltodextrin is used in food and beverage manufacturing as a bulking agent, a carrier for flavors, colors, and spray-dried ingredients, and a source of body and mouthfeel without sweetness. Common applications include powdered drink mixes, sports nutrition, soups and sauces, snacks and seasonings, frozen desserts, and confectionery. Stratus Chemical supplies food-grade DE 10 maltodextrin in 50 lb bags.
The CAS number for maltodextrin is 9050-36-6 and its EC number is 232-940-4. Maltodextrin is a mixture of glucose polymers with the general formula (C6H10O5)n·H2O, so it has no single molecular weight.
DE, or dextrose equivalent, measures how far starch has been broken down, on a scale where starch is about 0 and pure dextrose is 100. Under US FDA regulations (21 CFR 184.1444), maltodextrin must have a DE below 20. A DE 10 maltodextrin, typically 9.0–13.0, is only slightly sweet, browns very little, and absorbs little moisture.
Maltodextrin and corn syrup solids are both dried starch hydrolysates; the difference is dextrose equivalent. Maltodextrin has a DE below 20, while corn syrup solids have a DE of 20 or more. Corn syrup solids are therefore sweeter, brown more readily, and are more hygroscopic, while maltodextrin adds bulk and body with little sweetness.
Yes. The corn-based maltodextrin supplied by Stratus Chemical is made from corn, which does not contain gluten, and it is produced without wheat, barley, rye, or related grains. It contains none of the major food allergens; sulfur dioxide used in corn wet milling remains below 10 ppm in the finished product.
Yes. The DE 10 maltodextrin supplied by Stratus Chemical is certified Kosher Pareve and Halal, is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, and meets Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) specifications. It is not certified organic.
Store maltodextrin below 50% relative humidity and no warmer than 30 °C (86 °F). Under those conditions quality does not change and shelf life is better than two years. The main risk is caking, or “warehouse set”, when bags are exposed to humidity or stacked under heavy load for long periods.
Stratus Chemical supplies food-grade DE 10 maltodextrin in 50 lb multiwall bags on heat-treated, food-safe pallets, with a Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet on every shipment and a full product dossier on request. To get pricing, send Stratus Chemical the volume and delivery location through the quote form and you will receive a response within one business day.
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