Dextrin

Description

Dextrin is the generic term for a group of products obtained by the breakdown of starch. The size of the molecules in question range between those of starch and simple sugars (oligosachharides). They are produced by enzymatic modification of starch of by the application of acids. In water, dextrins form gluey, cloudy and viscous masses.

• In contrast to chemically modified starches dextrins officially are considered as an ingredient and not as an additive.

Application

Dextrins are used as extenders and thickeners in a multitude of products, such as:

• in packaged soups, packaged sauces, sweets, desserts, baby food
• dragées and coated tablets
• increasingly, as a replacement for fats in reduced-calorie foods
• widespread as a carrier substance for delicate or volatile substances such as flavours, vitamins, food colourings

Cyclodextrins have special applications in the production of foodstuffs. The omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish fats and in algae extracts are chemically packaged in the ring-formed sugar molecules. In this manner, the undesirable taste of fish is eliminated and the valuable fatty acids may be added to a variety of products. Cyclodextrins also are used in commonly in de-odorising sprays.

Gene technology

Dextrins are produced from starches. Applications of gene technology are possible in the case of plant-based starch sources and particularly in the production of enzymes with which the starches are broken down and modified.

• Maize starch may be composed to a certain degree of genetically modified maize, particularly when raw materials are imported from the USA or from Argentina. In the EU, genetically modified maize is grown on a comparatively small area and nonetheless is not used as raw material for foodstuff. This may change in the case that the cultivation of GM maize increases in significance. Ingredients derived from several types of GM maize are approved in the EU.
  In the future also: starch from potatoes or wheat.
  
• Enzymes break down starches in to their basic components and modifiy these. Thereby, a variety of ingredients and additives are obtained that display specific characteristics. Several of the enzymes that are used in this process are produced with the aid of genetically modiofied micro-organisms and include amylases, glucose-isomerase, and pullulanase (saccharification of starches).

Labelling: Starch-based ingredients must be labelled when they are produced directly from genetically modified plants such as maize. The question remains open of whether this applies to dextrins that are produced in a series of steps from starch.

Enzymes and their type of provenance generally are not indicated on the list of ingredients.