About
Oligomalt is a novel slowly digestible carbohydrate (SDC) — an α-1,3/α-1,6-glucan glucose-based polymer with a degree of polymerisation of approximately 15, formerly known as alternan saccharide (AS-15). It is used in food and nutritional products as a healthier alternative to maltodextrin and rapidly digestible carbohydrates, producing lower post-prandial glucose and insulin responses.
Safety summary
Clinical trials at doses up to 180 g/day in healthy adults found oligomalt to be well tolerated, with no serious adverse events; a dose-dependent but clinically limited increase in gastrointestinal symptoms was noted at the highest doses. Small amounts of leucrose (~5% of dry matter) are co-produced during manufacture, though leucrose is itself slowly digested and not considered a safety concern at typical intakes. No ADI has been formally established by any major regulatory body, as oligomalt is a novel ingredient not yet assigned an INS/E-number or formal GRAS/approved food additive status.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Under_review | Oligomalt is not listed in the EU Novel Food Catalogue or the EU approved food additives register (Regulation EC No 1333/2008) as of 2025. A novel food authorisation application may be required under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 before commercial use in the EU.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Under_review | Oligomalt does not appear in the FDA GRAS database or as an approved food additive as of 2025. Clinical trials sponsored by Nestlé (NCT05058144, NCT05963594) have been conducted in the US, but no formal FDA regulatory determination has been published. Regulatory pathway is under evaluation by the manufacturer.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1PubMed. Oligomalt, a New Slowly Digestible Carbohydrate, Reduces Post-Prandial Glucose and Insulin Trajectories Compared to Maltodextrin across Different Population Characteristics: Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials in Healthy Individuals, People with Obesity, and People with Type 2 Diabetes, 2024. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2PubMed. Oligomalt, a New Slowly Digestible Carbohydrate, Reduces Post-Prandial Glucose and Insulin Trajectories (leucrose co-product note), 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3other. To Evaluate the Post-Prandial Metabolic Effects of Oligomalt in Adults With T2D and in HAO, 2023. clinicaltrials.gov
- 4PubMed. Oligomalt, a New Slowly Digestible Carbohydrate, Is Well Tolerated in Healthy Young Men and Women at Intakes Up to 180 Gram per Day: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Trial, 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
