Used as an ingredient by the processed food industry, maltodextrin is derived from starch, typically corn or rice, that is cooked with acids or enzymes, or hydrolyzed. This creates a white powder with a unique chemistry. It makes salad dressings thicker, beer richer, and low-fat peanut butter feel like full fat. It even turns wet things into powders, as when it is mixed with vinegar to coat potato chips.
