About
Malt powder is produced by germinating barley (or other cereal grains), kilning the sprouted grain to halt growth, and spray- or roller-drying the resulting extract into a powder. It is used in food manufacturing as a flavouring agent, natural sweetener, fermentation substrate, dough conditioner, and nutritive ingredient in malted beverages, cereals, confectionery, baked goods, and infant foods.
Safety summary
Malt powder is broadly recognised as safe for the general adult population with no established ADI and no significant regulatory concerns at typical dietary intake levels. It is derived from barley and therefore contains gluten, making it hazardous for individuals with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. Individuals with diabetes should monitor intake due to its maltose and fermentable carbohydrate content, which can affect blood glucose.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Malt extract and malt powder are permitted as food ingredients under Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Standards Code. No specific additive permission or maximum level required; must be declared on label due to barley (gluten) allergen content.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Malt powder and malt extract are not assigned an E number and are not regulated as food additives under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. They are treated as conventional food ingredients/flavourings of agricultural origin. Permitted for use in food products without restriction under GMP.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Malt extract is explicitly excluded from the definition of food additives under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — it is treated as a conventional food ingredient. FSSAI maintains separate product standards for 'Malt Based Food' and 'Malted Milk Food' under the cereal and cereal products standards framework.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Malt syrup/malt extract is listed in the FDA EAFUS (Everything Added to Food in the United States) database and is recognised as GRAS under general food use provisions. No specific 21 CFR part sets a maximum use level; used in accordance with good manufacturing practice (GMP). |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. FDA EAFUS Database: Malt Syrup (Malt Extract). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
- 2FSSAI. FSSAI Standards List — Revision of Standards for Malted Milk Food and Malt Based Food. fssai.gov.in
- 3WHO. JECFA — Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA): Malt Extract. fao.org
- 4PubMed. Barley malt: Nutritional composition, health benefits, and food applications, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — Food Additives (Compendium 2015), 2015. fssai.gov.in
