Polydextrose

Polydextrose is a synthetic polymer of glucose produced by high-temperature melt condensation of glucose with small amounts of sorbitol and citric acid as a catalyst. As a food additive (E1200), it is used as a bulking agent and low-calorie fat replacer in reduced-calorie yoghurts, ice cream, baked goods, confectionery, and beverages. It contributes approximately 1 calorie per gram — about one quarter the energy of sugar — while providing the textural bulk of fat or sugar. It is also recognised as a source of soluble dietary fibre.

JECFA evaluated polydextrose in 1987 and did not establish a numerical ADI, classifying it as not specified. Polydextrose is not absorbed in the small intestine; it passes to the large intestine where it is partly fermented by gut microbiota, producing short-chain fatty acids with prebiotic effects. EFSA recognises it as contributing to dietary fibre intake.

Polydextrose is approved in the EU (E1200), the United States (GRAS), and most global markets. At high intake, osmotic effects in the large intestine can cause bloating or loose stools; some markets require advisory labelling above defined concentrations. For most consumers at typical food-use levels, polydextrose is safe and may provide a modest prebiotic benefit. Its glucose origin is worth noting for people managing blood sugar, though the non-digestible nature of the polymer means it has a negligible glycaemic impact.