The key difference between dextrose dextrin and dextran is that dextrose is a naturally occurring substance used as a sweetener, and dextrin is a polysaccharide produced from the hydrolysis of starch, whereas dextran is a biopolymer of glucose that is produced from certain bacterial enzymes.
Dextrose, dextrin, dextran are types of carbohydrate compounds with closely similar structures, but they have different properties and applications.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Dextrose
3. What is Dextrin
4. What is Dextran
5. Dextrose vs Dextrin vs Dextran in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Dextrose vs Dextrin vs Dextran
What is Dextrose?
Dextrose is D-glucose and a monosaccharide. Its name comes from its chemical nature; dextrose refers to dextrorotatory. It means that it rotates plane-polarized light to the right. The letter D in D-glucose also refers to the same definition. The chemical formula of this compound is C6H12O6. The molar mass of this compound is 180 g/mol. Moreover, the most common source of this sugar is corn.
When considering the uses of this compound, the most common application is as a sweetener in baking products. Moreover, we can find it often in corn syrup and processed food. This compound is an ingredient in packaged food mainly because of its affordability and wide availability.
There are some non-food uses of dextrose as well. It has a high glycemic index; this means it can increase the blood sugar level immediately. Therefore, we can use it as a treatment for low blood levels and dehydration. Moreover, people having diabetes often keep a dextrose tablet to consume quickly if their blood level gets dangerously low.
Since we use it in processed food, we consider dextrose as an added sugar. There are certain limits on daily consumption. Nevertheless, most people consume more than the recommended levels. But, high consumption may lead to weight gain, cavities, lowered immunity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, etc.
What is Dextrin?
Dextrin is a type of carbohydrate with a low molecular weight and is produced by hydrolysis starch and glycogen. This compound can be found as a mixture of polymers of D-glucose units that are linked to alpha 1-4 or alpha 1-6 glycosidic bonds. These compounds can be formed from starch in the presence of enzymes such as amylases during the digestion of starch in the human body and during the malting and mashing, applying dry heat under acidic conditions, etc.
The production procedure of dextrin was first introduced by Edme-Jean Baptiste Boullon-Lagrange in 1811. This process is useful in different industries. However, it can naturally happen on the surface of bread as well during the baking process. This contributes to the flavor, color, and crispiness of the bread. Pyrodextrins are dextrin compounds produced using heat.
The appearance of dextrin can be described as a white, yellow, or brown powder form that is partially or completely water-soluble. This yields optically active solutions having a low viscosity. Most of these compounds are detectable with an iodine solution, which gives a red color that can be distinguished from erythrodextrin and achrodextrin.
What is Dextran?
Dextran is an organic compound that can be described as a complex branched glucan derived through the condensation of glucose. Originally, this substance was derived from wine. The chemical formula of this compound is H(C6H10O5)xOH. According to the value of “x,” the molar mass is variable. Dextran is a 1,6-branched structure that is categorized as a poly-alpha-d-glucoside. These chains have varying lengths of structure that ranges from 3 to 2000 kilodaltons. Moreover, the main chain of this polymer contains alpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds between the glucose monomers.
This compound was first discovered by Louis Pasteur. This discovery was based on the microbial product in wine. Now, dextran is produced by some types of lactic acid bacteria that belong to the family of lactobacillus. However, the structure of the dextran depends on the family and species of the bacterium as well as its strain. The compound can be separated through fractional precipitation using protein-free extracts and ethanol.
There are many different uses and applications of dextran, such as its use as an antithrombic, reduction of blood viscosity, as a volume expander in hypovolaemia, decrease vascular thrombosis, use in some eyedrops as a lubricant, in osmotic stress technique to apply osmotic pressure on biological molecules, etc.
What is the Difference Between Dextrose Dextrin and Dextran?
Dextrose, dextrin, and dextran are compounds that are related to each other. The key difference between dextrose dextrin and dextran is that dextrose is a naturally occurring substance used as a sweetener, and dextrin is a polysaccharide produced from the hydrolysis of starch, whereas dextran is a biopolymer of glucose that is produced from certain bacterial enzymes.
Below is a summary of the difference between dextrose dextrin and dextran in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Dextrose vs Dextrin vs Dextran
The key difference between dextrose dextrin and dextran is that dextrose is a naturally occurring substance used as a sweetener, and dextrin is a polysaccharide produced from the hydrolysis of starch, whereas dextran is a biopolymer of glucose that is produced from certain bacterial enzymes.
Reference:
1. “Dextrin.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Poly-(1-4)-alpha-D-Glucose” By NEUROtiker – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Dextran-2” By Zeldaoot23 – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia