Maltodextrin Solids

The maltodextrin solids are amorphous, white, or off-white powders or granules, which are non-sweet and odorless. The materials are processed by spray drying, fluidized bed agglomeration, and roller compaction to improve their handling properties. Maltodextrins are hygroscopic above 50% RH and need to be stored below... 

Kenyon, M.M. (1995). Modified starch, maltodextrin, and corn syrup solids as wall materials for food encapsulation, American Chemical Society symposium series, Vol. 590, pp 42-50, ISBN 0841231648. 

Solid microcapsules using maltodextrins or starch as matrices were incorporated into cosmetic, pharmaceutical, dietetic, and food compositions using the interfacial crosslinking of flavonoids. Such microcapsules prevented discoloration while maintaining both the anti-free radical and antioxidant activities of the flavonoids." ... 

One of the oldest production methods for the production of dry flavours is the plating of a liquid flavour or extract onto a solid carrier. Carriers of main importance for the food industry are salt, lactose, starch and maltodextrin [64]. 

Maltodextrins and Low-Dextrose-Equivalence Corn Syrup Solids... 

Maltodextrins and low DE corn syrup solids can be an important part of the matrix system for the encapsulation and drying of flavors. 

Maltodextrins and corn syrup solids are produced from starch, usually corn. The starch, which is almost pure carbohydrate, is cooked or pasted to open the granule and then hydrolyzed. Products can be made by hydrolyzing with acid or enzymes or with a combination of acid and enzymes. After the desired amount of hydrolysis has occurred, the reaction is stopped, and the product is filtered to remove insoluble materials and then dried. 

Maltodextrins and corn syrup solids are most often defined by their dextrose equivalence (DE). DE is a measure of the degree of hydrolysis of the starch molecule which compares the reducing power of the sugar groups as compared to the reducing power of an equal weight of glucose present. 

Other methods that are used to characterize maltodextrins and corn syrup solids include liquid chromatography which can be used to quantify the relative amounts of shorter chain polymers found in a particular DE product. Maltodextrins and corn syrup solids are made up of polymers of anhydroglucose units having varied chain lengths rather than one particular polymer size (Table I). 

This relative molecular size difference between starch and the hydrolysis sugars gives maltodextrins and corn syrup solids their valuable functional properties for the flavor industry. 

Hygroscopicity. Maltodextrins and low DE corn syrup solids are very nonhygroscopic. Therefore, flavors dried with these products are free-flowing powders. Hygroscopicity does increase with higher DE s. Figure 1 shows the physical changes in several DE products that had equilibrated at various relative humidities. 

Viscosity. Viscosity and solubility may be the two most important characteristics of an encapsulation matrix ingredient. The increase in solids to the dryer at a constant solids/flavor ratio can greatly increase the economic efficiency of an operation. Most processing systems have a maximum viscosity at which they can operate. Proper atomization may also affect the flavor retention (Reineccius and Bangs 1985). The low viscosity of maltodextrins and corn syrup solids is shown in Figure 2. The viscosity of these products... 

Figure 2. Viscosity of Maltodextrin and Corn Syrup Solids Solutions at Varied Percent Solids.

Flavor Release. Encapsulated flavors find uses throughout the food industry. One major example would be beverage dry mixes. Maltodextrins and corn syrup solids have excellent cold water solubility, so their use in encapsulated flavors will provide a rapid release of flavors used in beverage applications. Maltodextrins and low DE corn syrup solids also have very little flavor or sweetness of their own, form clear solutions, and virtually disappear once in an application. 

Low Cost-Reliable Supply. Maltodextrins and corn syrup solids carry a much lower cost than almost all other encapsulating matrix ingredients, They are produced both in the U.S. and in foreign countries by several suppliers, so they are readily available. When used alone or as one of a combination of encapsulation matrix ingredients, maltodextrins and corn syrup solids are an effective part of the encapsulating system. 

One of the primary variables which influences the recoveries of volatile flavor and aroma chemicals during spray drying is the wall material. Utilization of spray dried flavors in food systems presents further constraints on the wall material selection process. Of the food grade polymers available to the manufacturer of spray dried flavorings (i.e., gum acacia, lipophilic starches, maltodextrins, corn syrup solids), no single wall material exhibits the ideal traits deemed necessary for this economically important process. 

The shelf-life of virtually all the encapsulated orange oils was quite good. Assuming a Q q of 2.4 (1 ), one would predict a shelf-life of about 7 months at 70°F for the worst product (amylomaize) and at least 14 months for the better products (corn, wheat, rice, waxy corn, and cassava). Considering that there was no antioxidant in these encapsulated products, the shelf-lives are very good. This work supports the observations of Anandaraman and Reineccius (1 ) that high DE maltodextrin or glucose syrup solids provide excellent barrier properties and produce encapsulated citrus oils with excellent shelf-life. 

This study supports the hypothesis that high DE maltodextrins and syrup solids permit the formation of encapsulated products with excellent stability to oxidation. Different enzyme-hydrolyzed starches yielded encapsulated orange oils which varied in stability amylomaize and potato maltodextrins exhibited the poorest stabilities while normal corn, waxy corn, cassava, rice, and wheat glucose syrup solids yielded the best and approximately equivalent shelf-lives. Based on oil retention during drying, amylomaize, wheat, rice, and cassava yielded satisfactory products. 

The matrix used for the encapsulation of juice solids was a mixture of low DE maltodextrin (DE 10) and lactose. A typical formulation prior to cooking would be 23% water, 26% lactose and 51% maltodextrin. This material was cooked to the desired temperature (ca. 110 C), mixed with 85 Brix juice solids and optionally, peel oil, extruded, washed and dried. The extrusion process is essentially the same as used by Swisher (3), A product containing up to 40% juice solids may be produced via this process. This loading of juice solids is substantially greater than the 10-15% juice solids loading claimed by Barnes and Steinke ( 5 ). 

A patent has been recently issued on extrusion encapsulation to Miller and Mutka ( ). This patent contains no new formulation or process innovations but rather a refinement of the existing art (1, 3), A flow chart of the overall process is presented in Figure 1 with a view of the extrusion process presented in Figure 2. The carbohydrate matrix consists of a high DE maltodextrin and sugar, e.g., 6025 g of 20 DE maltodextrin solution (70% solids) plus 4125 g sugar (Example 1 in patent). This carbohydrate matrix is heated to promote solubility and then cooked to 120 to 124 C to reduce moisture content. They found a... 

Com symp solids are also dry products, have a smaller average size, and are comparatively sweeter (12). Both maltodextrins and com symp solids are used to prevent caking enhance dispersibility and solubility provide body or bulk impart desirable texture bind, carry, and protect flavors control extmsion expansion provide viscosity form films and coatings provide an oxygen barrier inhibit crystallization control sweetness improve sheen improve organoleptic characteristics slow meltdown and improve freeze—thaw stability. 

The GRAS affirmation contained in 21 CFR, Section 184.1444, defines maltodextrins as non-sweet, nutritive saccharide polymers consisting of D-glucosyl units linked primarily with alpha-1,4 bonds and having a DE less than 20. The document has been modified to include maltodextrins derived from potato starch as GRAS.8 In 1992, more than 328 million pounds (149x 106 kg) of maltodextrins and com syrup solids were produced in the United States from various starch sources.9... 

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