E459 - Beta-cyclodextrine

At a glance

• What it is: A cyclic oligosaccharide (a small carbohydrate ring) produced from starch
• E-number: E459
• Main roles: Carrier for flavors, stabiliser for sensitive ingredients, and mild thickener
• Typical uses: Flavor powders, chewing gum, beverages, sauces, and fortified foods
• Related additives: alpha-cyclodextrine, gamma-cyclodextrine

Why is Beta-cyclodextrine added to food?

Beta-cyclodextrine can trap small molecules in its ring-shaped structure. This “inclusion” helps keep delicate flavors and aromas from evaporating, masks bitterness or unwanted notes, and protects sensitive nutrients during processing and storage. It can also improve mouthfeel and help disperse oils and aromas more evenly in the final product.

What foods contain Beta-cyclodextrine?

You may find E459 in:

• Flavor mixes and powdered seasonings
• Chewing gum and mints
• Ready-to-drink beverages and instant coffee mixes
• Dairy drinks and desserts
• Sauces, dressings, and emulsified foods
• Fortified foods where flavors, vitamins, or plant extracts need stabilizing

On labels, look for “beta-cyclodextrin,” “β-cyclodextrin,” or “E459.”

What can replace Beta-cyclodextrine?

Possible alternatives depend on the job it does:

• For carrying and protecting flavors: acacia gum, modified starches, or [maltodextrin] (not all have E-numbers listed here)
• For thickening/texture: xanthan gum, pectins, locust bean gum, or gellan gum
• For similar “inclusion” effects with different solubility: alpha-cyclodextrine or gamma-cyclodextrine

How is Beta-cyclodextrine made?

Food-grade beta-cyclodextrine is produced from edible starch using specific enzymes that “cut and shape” the starch into a seven-glucose-ring molecule. The resulting product is then purified and crystallized to meet strict identity and purity criteria set in EU specifications for E459.¹ These specifications also set limits on residual solvents, moisture, and microbial quality before the ingredient can be used in food.¹

Is Beta-cyclodextrine safe to eat?

In the European Union, beta-cyclodextrine is an authorized food additive (E459). Its use must follow the general EU food additive rules and be within permitted categories and conditions of use laid out in the food additive framework law.² Additionally, the detailed purity and identity requirements in the EU specifications help ensure the additive’s quality and safety for use in foods.¹

Does Beta-cyclodextrine have any benefits?

For food makers, it helps:

• Keep flavor and aroma intensity more stable over shelf life
• Mask bitterness or off-odors from some extracts or added nutrients
• Protect sensitive compounds from heat, light, or oxidation during processing
• Improve texture and dispersibility in complex formulations

These are technological benefits to the food product. They are not medical or health claims.

Who should avoid Beta-cyclodextrine?

• People under medical advice to restrict certain carbohydrates should check labels and consult their clinician.
• Those with severe allergies to a specific starch source (for example, corn) should ask the manufacturer about source materials and residual proteins, even though food-grade purification greatly reduces them.
• If you are comparing it with sweeteners: beta-cyclodextrine is not an intense sweetener and is used in different, typically small, amounts compared with sugar substitutes.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “It’s a sweetener like cyclamate.” Fact: Beta-cyclodextrine is not an intense sweetener and is unrelated to cyclamic acid. It is mainly a carrier/stabiliser.
• Myth: “It just adds bulk.” Fact: Its unique ring structure can include flavor molecules, helping protect and deliver them.
• Myth: “It’s a synthetic chemical.” Fact: It is made from food starch using enzymes and must meet food-grade specifications.

Beta-cyclodextrine in branded foods

You’ll most often see E459 listed on ingredient labels for flavor mixes, beverages, chewing gum, and some dairy or dessert items. It may appear as “beta-cyclodextrin,” “β-cyclodextrin,” or “E459.” If you need to avoid it, scan the end of ingredient lists where carriers and processing aids are frequently named.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩