Is Maltodextrin Safe? Glycemic Index, Gut Health, and Real Research

What is maltodextrin and how is it made?

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide — a short chain of glucose molecules — produced by partial hydrolysis of starch. In the United States, the starch source is most commonly corn. In Europe, wheat is frequently used (requiring labeling due to gluten). The hydrolysis process uses acids or enzymes to break long starch chains into shorter fragments, which are then spray-dried into a white powder.

The result is a powder that is nearly flavorless, highly soluble, and easy to spray-dry onto other ingredients — properties that make it extremely useful as a food additive. Maltodextrin serves as a bulking agent, texture modifier, carrier for flavors and nutrients, and as a fast-digesting carbohydrate in sports nutrition formulations. For a full additive profile, see our maltodextrin additive page.

Despite being chemically distinct from sugar, maltodextrin is classified as a carbohydrate and contributes 4 calories per gram — identical to sugar. It is not a zero-calorie ingredient.

Glycemic index: higher than sugar

The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a carbohydrate raises blood glucose relative to pure glucose (GI = 100). Table sugar (sucrose) has a GI of approximately 65 because it is a disaccharide — half glucose, half fructose — and fructose is metabolized more slowly by the liver. Maltodextrin, being almost entirely glucose chains, has a GI measured between 85 and 105 depending on chain length and the specific product.

This matters for two reasons. First, maltodextrin is often present in products marketed as “sugar-free” — it does not count as “added sugars” under the current FDA Nutrition Facts panel rules, even though it raises blood glucose more than sugar does. Second, sports nutrition products use this property deliberately — maltodextrin delivers fast glucose to working muscles. But the same property is problematic in everyday processed foods consumed by sedentary people throughout the day.

The 2012 PLOS ONE study: gut microbiota findings

The most cited research concern around maltodextrin comes from a 2012 study published in PLOS ONE by Nickerson et al. at the Cleveland Clinic. The researchers found that maltodextrin — at concentrations achievable in the human gut after typical dietary exposure — enhanced adherence and intracellular invasion of pathobionts including Escherichia colistrains associated with Crohn’s disease. In mouse models, maltodextrin consumption promoted biofilm formation by these bacteria along the intestinal wall.

What the study showed — and what it did not

The Nickerson study was conducted in cell cultures and mouse models, not in human clinical trials. Extrapolating from in vitro and mouse data to human outcomes requires caution. The study identified a plausible biological mechanism — not a confirmed causal link in humans. As of 2026, no large randomized controlled trial has tested whether reducing dietary maltodextrin improves inflammatory bowel disease outcomes.

However, the study was conducted at physiologically relevant concentrations (not extreme laboratory doses), which gives it more translational credibility than many food additive studies. It was the impetus for subsequent research into how processed food additives interact with the gut microbiome — a field that has grown substantially since 2012.

Subsequent research (2013–2025)

A 2021 review in Frontiers in Nutrition examined multiple food additive studies and found that maltodextrin was one of several additives associated with dysbiotic microbiota changes in animal models. Emulsifiers (carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80) showed stronger effects — see our emulsifiers and gut health article for that parallel evidence thread. The consensus view among gastroenterologists is that maltodextrin warrants continued research, particularly for individuals with IBD, but does not justify avoidance for the general population based on current evidence.

FDA regulatory status and where maltodextrin appears

Maltodextrin holds GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status with the FDA — meaning there is no restriction on the quantity used in food, and no requirement to list it separately as a concern on nutrition panels. It is listed under 21 CFR 184.1444 as a direct human food ingredient affirmed GRAS.

Maltodextrin appears across a strikingly wide range of products. Common categories include: protein powders and meal replacements (used as a carbohydrate matrix), sports drinks and energy gels, sugar-free sweetener packets (Splenda, Equal), infant formula, coffee creamers, instant soups, salad dressings, and low-fat packaged snacks where it replaces fat for texture.

Maltodextrin vs. sugar and HFCS: a practical comparison

Maltodextrin is often discussed alongside other high-calorie carbohydrates. The comparison to high-fructose corn syrup is instructive — for context, see our HFCS deep-dive. The key differences between maltodextrin and these comparators:

• vs. sucrose: Maltodextrin raises blood glucose faster. Both provide 4 cal/gram. Neither is listed as “added sugar” on labels if they are below threshold — but maltodextrin at significant quantities is counted as total carbohydrate.
• vs. HFCS:HFCS raises concerns about fructose metabolism and liver fat. Maltodextrin is pure glucose — it does not carry the fructose-specific metabolic concerns, but it also lacks the slower-metabolizing fructose component that moderates HFCS’s GI.
• vs. artificial sweeteners: Maltodextrin provides calories and raises blood glucose. Non-nutritive sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame do not — though they carry their own evidence debates. See our sweetener comparison.

Frequently asked questions