INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
FOOD COLOURS, EMULSIFIERS, STABILIZERS,
ANTI-CAKING AGENTS AND CERTAIN
OTHER SUBSTANCES
FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series
No. 46A WHO/FOOD ADD/70.36
The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome,
27 May - 4 June 19691
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
World Health Organization
1 Thirteenth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, in press;
Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., in press.
WHITE AND YELLOW DEXTRINS
White dextrins are prepared by heating dry starch in the presence of
an acid at a temperature generally below 150°C. White dextrins may
also be obtained by further continuing the acid process for making
thin boiling starches. Because of the nature of the application as
well as their flavour their use in food is restricted. Dextrins are a
stage in the normal digestion of starch occurring in the human
gastro-intestinal tract. They represent a broad range of products with
considerably smaller molecular size than native starch.
Yellow dextrins are prepared in a similar manner but at a higher
temperature and using less acid. Apart from depolymerisation, a good
deal of internal re-arrangement occurs with formation of highly
branched molecules. These materials are used in foods in limited
quantities as adjuvants in flavour encapsulation and similar minor
uses.
Comments
These substances are regarded as intermediates of normal digestion of
starch and are normal constituents of food.
EVALUATION
Not limited except for good manufacturing practice.