Ingredient Information

Function

Tapioca maltodextrin is a fine, white powder that has a product-specific taste or a slightly sweet flavor. A food-grade dextrose that is made from tapioca, manufacturers prefer tapioca maltodextrin to corn or wheat starch because it has no smell and is relatively flavorless. The starchy ingredient is processed from dried cassava roots. It is used as a fat replacer in ice cream, and as a substitute for milk, gums and other stabilizers in processed foods. Soluble in cold water, tapioca maltodextrin supplies density to foods like puddings, creamy products and other desserts, without increasing sweetness or calories. It has the ability to gel when added to cold water, and has a very high binding capacity and thawing stability. Many products manufactured for and marketed to diabetics contain tapioca maltodextrin. Tapioca maltodextrin is used as a stabilizer and thickener.

Other Use and Industries

NONE KNOWN

Health Effects

Tapioca maltodextrin is easily digestible and absorbed like glucose. It is a constant source of energy, due to its high carbohydrate content. Tapioca maltodextrin contains small amounts of fiber, protein and fat, and has only four calories per gram. It is usually produced in an organic, pesticide-free process, and the enzymes used are most often GMO-free.

Tapioca maltodextrin is a simple carbohydrate and consumption should be limited, particularly for those with diabetes.

Origins

Tapioca maltodextrin is a natural derivative of the cassava plant, which is native to the Americas. Only the plant's roots are processed to make tapioca maltodextrin. Dextrins are groups of low molecular weight carbs produced by starch hydrolysis. Maltodextrin is a moderately sweet polysaccharide used as a food additive. Tapioca maltodextrin is produced from tapioca starch by a natural enzymatic process that gives it the desirable fat-like and stabilizing properties. It is a highly modified food starch.