Dextrose | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Dextrose is the food-grade name for D-glucose, a naturally occurring monosaccharide produced commercially by the enzymatic hydrolysis of corn (or other cereal) starch. It is used as a sweetener, bulking agent, fermentation substrate, humectant, and rapid energy source across a broad range of food, beverage, and pharmaceutical applications.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Dextrose is metabolised identically to endogenous blood glucose and is broadly recognised as safe; WHO/JECFA has not established a numerical ADI, treating it as a normal food constituent. However, its glycaemic index of approximately 100 causes rapid blood-glucose elevation, making it a meaningful concern for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or insulin resistance. Excessive habitual intake is also associated with dental caries, weight gain, and downstream cardiometabolic risk.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Permitted as a food ingredient under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code; classified as a sugar/carbohydrate, not a food additive, so no numerical maximum level is mandated.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Dextrose (D-glucose) is not assigned an E number and is not regulated as a food additive under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008; it is permitted as a food ingredient/sugar under general EU food law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002) and is governed internationally by the Codex Standard for Sugars (CXS 212-1999).source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Permitted as a food ingredient (glucose/dextrose) under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011; no maximum level specified beyond GMP.source
MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) (Japan)	Approved	Dextrose (D-glucose) is permitted as a food ingredient/existing additive in Japan; classified as a sugar, not a designated food additive requiring individual approval.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Diabetes — Dextrose is biochemically identical to blood glucose and has a glycaemic index of ~100, causing rapid postprandial blood-glucose elevation; people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should closely monitor and limit intake.

Children — WHO guidelines link high free-sugar intake in children to dental caries and increased obesity risk; dextrose added to processed foods contributes meaningfully to this burden.

Ibs — High doses of free monosaccharides such as dextrose can exacerbate osmotic diarrhoea and bloating in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome or carbohydrate malabsorption disorders.

Kidney Disease — Excess free-sugar consumption can worsen glycaemic control, triglyceride levels, and weight management in chronic kidney disease patients, who often have co-morbid insulin resistance.

Heart Disease — High free-sugar intake is associated with elevated triglycerides and increased cardiovascular risk; patients with existing heart disease should limit discretionary dextrose consumption per WHO dietary guidance.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. 21 CFR Part 184.1857 – Dextrose (corn sugar) – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. accessdata.fda.gov
2other. D-Glucose (Anhydrous Dextrose) – PubChem Compound Summary, CID 5793. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FDA. Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) – Dextrose, 2026. hfpappexternal.fda.gov
4WHO. Guideline: Sugars Intake for Adults and Children – World Health Organization (2015), 2015. who.int
5WHO. Codex Alimentarius Standard for Sugars (CXS 212-1999, last revised 2021), 1999. fao.org

Independently researched5 citations