In food additive terms, a carrier is a substance used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify another additive, flavour or nutrient so that it is easier to handle and apply, without changing what that additive does. Many flavourings and colours are used in such tiny amounts that they could not be weighed or spread evenly on their own; a carrier gives them volume.
Typical carriers in snacks are maltodextrin, starches and dextrins, and gum arabic, plus solvents such as propylene glycol for liquid flavours. In a chip seasoning, aroma compounds are often absorbed onto a powdered carrier so that they stay dry, mix evenly with salt and the rest of the seasoning, and cling to each chip.
On SeekSnack the term appears on Lay’s Stax Original, where maltodextrin is named as the carrier.
