About
What it is and where it shows up.
Dextrin (roasted starch) is produced by the thermal degradation of starch (from corn, potato, tapioca, wheat, or rice), yielding shorter-chain glucose polymers. It is used in food as a thickener, stabiliser, binder, coating agent, and bulking agent.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
JECFA has assigned an ADI of 'not specified', indicating no safety concern at levels used in food. The substance is not genotoxic and is hydrolysed by intestinal enzymes and fermented by the gut microbiota in a manner analogous to native starch. No significant adverse effects have been identified in the general population; however, wheat-derived dextrin may pose a risk to individuals with coeliac disease or wheat allergy.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, white or yellow dextrin and roasted/dextrinated starch are explicitly excluded from the definition of 'food additives' and therefore require no additive authorisation; they may be used freely as food ingredients or processing aids.source |
| JECFA (JECFA (FAO/WHO)) | Approved | JECFA classifies dextrin roasted starch as INS 1400, has established separate specifications, and has allocated an ADI of 'not specified', reflecting no safety concern at technologically justified use levels.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Dextrin is listed in the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory (formerly EAFUS) and is generally recognised as safe (GRAS) for use in food.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Gluten Intolerance — Dextrin may be derived from wheat starch; wheat-sourced dextrin retains traces of gluten and may trigger reactions in individuals with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity unless certified gluten-free.
Diabetes — Readily digestible dextrins are rapidly hydrolysed to glucose and can cause a glycaemic response comparable to native starch, warranting portion awareness in people managing blood sugar levels; resistant dextrin variants are an exception.
Ibs — As a fermentable carbohydrate, dextrin may be classified as a FODMAP at higher intake levels and could aggravate symptoms such as bloating or altered bowel habit in IBS-sensitive individuals.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1WHO/FAO (Codex GSFA). GSFA Online Food Additive Details for Dextrins, roasted starch (INS 1400). fao.org
- 2other. PubChem Compound Summary: Dextrin (CID 62698). pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3FDA. GRAS Notice 1133 — Resistant Dextrin (FDA), 2023. fda.gov
- 4EFSA. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404) and other modified starches as food additives — EFSA Journal 2017, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
- 5PubMed. Re-evaluation of oxidised starch (E 1404) and 11 other modified starches as food additives (PMC full text), 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Independently researched5 citations