Sugars & Sweeteners
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a nonsweet, spray-dried glucose polymer made by partial hydrolysis of starch. In gelato it adds dry solids and body with very little sweetness and only about a third of sucrose's freezing point depression, so it firms the mix instead of softening it.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 95% |
| Water | 5% |
| Sugars | 95% |
| Fat | 0% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 12.6 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 34.3 |
Typical use: Roughly 1-5% of the total mix, most commonly 1-3%.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Maltodextrin is used to raise total solids and improve body, chewiness and scoopability while adding almost no sweetness and only a modest amount of freezing point depression. A DE 19 grade contributes about POD 12.6 and PAC 34 per 100 g of product (sucrose = 100), so swapping sucrose for it at equal weight makes the mix both less sweet and firmer, which is useful in low-sugar, no-added-sugar or high-solids recipes and in sorbets that would otherwise be too soft. Its PAC is not zero, though: at 34 it is about a third of sucrose, so a heavy dose in a sorbetto does move the freezing curve and has to be counted. It also binds free water and helps limit large ice crystals during storage. Overusing it can make the texture gummy or dull the flavor release, so it is dosed as a supporting solid rather than a primary sugar.
Origin & background
Maltodextrin is defined by the U.S. FDA (21 CFR 184.1444) as a nonsweet nutritive saccharide polymer with a dextrose equivalent (DE) below 20, produced by partial hydrolysis of edible starch. Commercial maltodextrins are made from corn, potato, rice, tapioca or wheat starch and are sold across a DE range of roughly 3 to 20, with sweetness rising as DE increases. Gelato and pastry formulations typically use a DE around 18-20.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Dairy Science and Food Technology, 'Ice cream hardness': defines the freezing point depression factor as the molecular weight of sucrose divided by the mean molecular weight of the sweetener, and tabulates 'Maltodextrin 18 DE | 1000 | 0.34', i.e. PAC 34 on a dry basis: https://www.dairyscience.info/cheese-dairy/ice-cream/228-ice-cream-hardness.html
- Gelato per Passione, 'Gli zuccheri nel gelato': publishes the arithmetic for a DE 19 maltodextrin at 95% solids, 'Pac: 100*19%*190%*95 = 34,29': https://www.gelatoperpassione.it/gli-zuccheri-nel-gelato/
- SaporePuro, product sheet 'Maltodestrine 18-19DE' (values as sold): 'Parametri tecnici POD 12 PAC 35, Umidita Max 5%': https://saporepuro.com/products/maltodestrine-19de-1500-gr-confezionato-in-italia
- Rong Y. et al., 'Determination of Dextrose Equivalent Value and Number Average Molecular Weight of Maltodextrin by Osmometry', Journal of Food Science 2009: the number-average molecular weight relation Mn = 18016 / DE that makes PAC (dry basis) = 1.9 x DE: https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00993.x
- jhermann's Ice Creamery, ingredient table: 'maltodextrin, which has a very high GI of 110 and a PAC of 34': https://jhermann.github.io/ice-creamery/info/ingredients/
- icecreamcalc.com, 'How is PAC and POD calculated' (PAC as freezing point depression relative to sucrose = 100): https://icecreamcalc.com/2023/08/22/how-is-pac-and-pod-calculated/
- US FDA 21 CFR 184.1444: maltodextrin is 'a nonsweet nutritive saccharide polymer' with a dextrose equivalent below 20: https://foodadditives.net/bulking-agent/maltodextrin/
- USDA FoodData Central, commercial maltodextrin powder (about 95% carbohydrate solids, 5% moisture, no fat, no protein): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- Les vergers Boiron, balancing glossary (POD and PAC definitions): https://les-vergers-boiron.com/en/balancing-sorbets-and-ice-creams/help-glossary/