287 of 3,919 Indian packaged foods list maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is an ingredient in some Indian packaged foods, and it shows up most in chips and instant noodles.
How to check a pack yourself
- Read the ingredient list. Turn the pack over and look at the list of ingredients. This list shows what is in the food.
- Look inside the brackets. Some ingredients are written inside brackets. These are part of something else, like a seasoning or a filling. Maltodextrin can be spelt malto-dextrin and can be there too.
- Check the order and the table. A name early in the list means more of it. Most of maltodextrin is not in the sugars line of the nutrition table; it sits in the carbohydrate line.
Quick answers
What is maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is an ingredient made from starch. The Label Checker's sugar-name rules do not count it as a sugar name, and most of it is counted in the carbohydrate line of the nutrition table, not the sugars line.
Where does maltodextrin show up most?
Maltodextrin shows up most in chips and crisps (63 of 170), instant noodles and pasta (30 of 138), namkeen (19 of 109), ice cream and frozen desserts (15 of 109), and biscuits and cookies (42 of 373).
Why is maltodextrin often inside brackets?
97 of the 287 lists name maltodextrin only inside brackets, and only 16 of the 287 put it among the first 3 ingredients.
Is maltodextrin a sugar name in this study?
No, maltodextrin is not counted as a sugar name in this study. It is counted separately and not added to any sugar numbers.
What did FSSAI say about maltodextrin in June 2026?
FSSAI issued a notice in June 2026 about a biscuit that claimed 'no added sugar.' FSSAI objected to this claim because the biscuit contained maltodextrin and glucose syrup solids, and it asked the maker to explain. Study 13 found that 0 of 56 foods with a 'no added sugar' pack list maltodextrin.
Every measure
| Food type | Share of lists | Lists |
|---|---|---|
| all foods in the study | 7% | 287 of 3,919 |
| chips and crisps | 37% | 63 of 170 |
| instant noodles and pasta | 22% | 30 of 138 |
| namkeen and savoury snacks | 17% | 19 of 109 |
| ice cream and frozen desserts | 14% | 15 of 109 |
| biscuits and cookies | 11% | 42 of 373 |
How I did it
I read ingredient lists from 3,919 Indian packaged foods on Open Food Facts. I left out some foods like spices, baby food and supplements. I counted every list that named maltodextrin, even if it was spelled differently. I checked every list that named maltodextrin by hand to make sure it was real. Lists that did not name maltodextrin were not read by hand. The lists come from Open Food Facts, entered by volunteers, so they are not a random sample. The study counts ingredient names, not amounts, and says nothing about safety. It does not judge any pack or any claim. No brands are named.
Where this comes from
- FSSAI on Instagram, 27 June 2026: notice on a biscuit's 'No Added Sugar' claim
- Label Checker (the Index's sugar-name rules)
- India Label Index study 13: what sweetens a 'no added sugar' pack
- Open Food Facts
What this can't tell you
- The lists come from Open Food Facts, entered by volunteers, so they are not a random sample.
- The study counts ingredient names, not amounts, and says nothing about safety.
- It does not judge any pack or any claim.
- No brands are named.
- Lists that do not name maltodextrin were not read by hand, so a few supplements may still sit in the base.
Data and code
- Every number on this page with the count behind it (JSON)
- Code: https://github.com/devnarsinghani22/india-label-index (maltodextrin.py, with the hand check in maltodextrin_labels.csv)
- Licence: the data comes from Open Food Facts under the Open Database License. You can reuse these numbers with credit to Open Food Facts and this page.
Part of the India Label Index 2026.
Narsinghani, D. (2026). Maltodextrin in Indian foods. India Label Index 2026. https://devnarsinghani22.github.io/india-label-index/maltodextrin/. Data from Open Food Facts (ODbL). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23245061.